Kiss a Rose has stormed home late to edge out the well fancied Metastasio in the Group 3 Quezette Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.
Photo by Racing and Sports
Settling back in the field from barrier 2, jockey Vlad Duric bided his time aboard Kiss A Rose, before coming with a strong run down the outside to claim her second win from as many starts.
Metastasio appeared to be a touch unlucky for a large part of the straight when blocked behind runners before jockey Craig Williams took her along the rails and was only narrowly beaten into second with Debutante Chloe In Paris running third.
Trainer Peter Moody has indicated the Thousand Guineas will be the race Kiss A Rose targets this spring along with stablemate Sprit Of Heaven who had little luck throughout today.
“Vlad rode a good race, very patient and came to the outside very similar to her first up win here,” Moody said.
“We actually trialled her about a month back and tried to push her up on the speed and she was very one paced so we trialled her again and rode her out the back and realised that was the way to ride her.”
“She is a deserved filly and for both fillies in the race the Thousand Guineas was the intended target but anything throughout the spring will be a bonus it's all ahead of them.”
Duric said he was worried half way through that they had gone to steady but she gave him a beautiful ride early and should relish a trip further than the 1100m on offer today.
“I just had to come back a length on the turn to get her into clear galloping room and she quickened up super impressively and is a really impressive filly,” said Duric.
“She settles beautifully, really conserves her energy and she has a great turn of foot so that will hold her in good stead to race over a bit further.”
