Cool Hand Kerrin
By Shane Templeton of The Herald Sun 08/09/02

TRIUMPHANT trainer Brian Mayfield-Smith paid tribute to a superb ride and outlined a standard spring campaign for his brilliant filly Innovation Girl after the Ascot Vale Stakes at Flemington yesterday.

Luckless loser Tom Hughes Jr bemoaned his misfortune, declaring Titanic Jack could have won the Group 2 race by five lengths. He indicated he might take on Bel Esprit in Saturday's Group 1 Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley.

Innovation Girl ($2.60 fav) beat $21 outsider Cool Trent by 3/4 length, with Titanic Jack ($3.50) a half-neck away third in the $350,000 Ascot Vale (1200m).

Mayfield-Smith, before praising his filly, took plenty of time to applaud jockey Kerrin McEvoy.

"That was one of the best, coolest rides I've ever seen from a jockey on one of my horses," the trainer said.

"Before the event I virtually told Kerrin where to have her (Innovation Girl) positioned, but then I left it up to him to make his own decision of when to drive for home. He did it perfectively."

Mayfield-Smith said Innovation Girl, who was unbeaten in four runs this preparation, has always possessed a "good motor" and "a good winning kick".

The filly has raced eight times for seven wins, a second and a bankroll of more than $530,000.

Mayfield-Smith said he had no intention of tackling the older sprinters at this stage in races such as the Manikato Stakes and the Dubai Classic.

"She will stay racing against three-year-olds for the time being and I hope she will eventually run 1600m," he said.

Mayfield-Smith said Innovation Girl's major long-term target would be the Thousand Guineas at Caulfield.

When Innovation Girl was making her winning move, Titanic Jack was bailed up with nowhere to go. Jockey Damien Oliver had elected to snag early from an inside draw and head straight to the outside rail, where the going was quicker.

But when the crunch came, Titanic Jack was confronted with a traffic jam and had to ease from outside Innovation Girl to her inside to get a clear passage.

By then the bird had flown.