Oh Girl! Innovation Girl Could be Brian's Best Ever
By Greg Irvine of Cyberhorse 24/08/02

Experienced trainer Brian Mayfield-Smith has given Innovation Girl a huge compliment by saying she was up there with the best fillies he had trained in his career after she scored a stunning win in this afternoon's listed Quezette Stakes at Caulfield.
Mayfield-Smith, who's put the polish on such top class females as Group One stars Riverina Charm, Magic Flute and Diamond Shower, said Innovation Girl was "right up there."

"Riverina Charm is probably the best I've trained, but this filly is something special," he said. "She's very exciting."

In a warning to potential rivals, Mayfield-Smith also sent a signal to the connections of Melbourne's leading colt Bel Esprit, that he is not worried by the John Symons trained colt.

"I have people rating horses in Sydney and they had her rated ahead of Bel Esprit last season," Mayfield-Smith said. "I've never been frightened of taking him on."

Innovation Girl, who was backing up after winning last Saturday's William Crockett Stakes at Moonee Valley, is being aimed at the 1600 metre Group One Thousand Guineas.

"We took the blinkers off so she would learn to settle and get further in her races," Mayfield-Smith added.

Even if Innovation Girl happens to run in the Ascot Vale Stakes and beats the boys Mayfield-Smith said he would not run against them in the Caulfield Guineas.

"No, I would stick to the fillies in preference to that race," he added.

Winning jockey Nash Rawiller said he had "no doubt" the filly would be able to stretch out to 1600 metres.

"You'd have to think a race like the (Thousand) Guineas would be ideal for her," Rawiller said.

Innovation Girl has now won six of her seven starts and was unlucky in her only defeat.

"The day she run second here against Yell, she just wanted to get off the track for about the 700 metre mark onwards," Mayfield-Smith said. "If she had of run straight Yell wouldn't have seen which way she went."

Mayfield-Smith also said Yell had turned out to be the measuring stick of two-year-olds last season by being a stakes performer in Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

The David Brideoake trained Raven Protector ran a huge race at massive odds to finish second just ahead of the Blue Diamond Stakes runner-up Brief Embrace.