Innovation Girl's unblinkered star rises
By Tony Bourke of The Age 25/08/02

Of the rising three-year-old stars on show at Caulfield yesterday, Innovation Girl is shaping as one of the brightest after her outstanding win in the Quezette Stakes (1200m).

By taking the blinkers off Innovation Girl, it was as if trainer Brian Mayfield-Smith unshackled the filly, who had won five of her six starts and now seems destined for an even higher level.

Despite her record, Innovation Girl had been inclined to race awkwardly when wearing the blinkers. Yesterday, she had suddenly developed into a more genuine racehorse.

"You can't be a trainer for 30 years without learning something," Mayfield-Smith said about his decision to take the blinkers off.

Jockey Nash Rawiller was equally enthusiastic, saying Innovation Girl was far more relaxed in the race than she had been before. Rawiller said he had no doubt she would run a strong 1600 metres this time in.

These sentiments were echoed by Mayfield-Smith, who said the $502,000 group one Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 16 was one of the main targets he had in mind for her.

For the first time in her career, Innovation Girl settled back off the pace from her wide barrier and was ninth but travelling easily approaching the home turn. As soon as Rawiller asked her for an effort, the filly raced to the leaders.

Innovation Girl, who opened at $2.50, easing to $3.50 before starting the $3 favourite, strode clear to win by two lengths from Raven Protector ($61), with Brief Embrace, easy in the market at $6, a short neck away third.

One of the most impressive features of the win was her time of one minute 9.4 seconds, more than half a second faster than Delago Brom took in winning the Vain Stakes.

Mayfield-Smith said Innovation Girl would take on the colts and geldings in the Ascot Vale Stakes at Flemington on September 7 before being tried over 1400 metres as a lead-up to the Thousand Guineas.