Flying Filly's one-horse race
The Age 02/02/03

It is usually disappointing when an expected match race becomes a one-sided affair, but there was no letdown with Innovation Girl's win in the Debonair (1420m) at Flemington yesterday.

The filly lived up to trainer Brian Mayfield-Smith's expectations, while Sydney colt Thorn Park badly let down his army of fans, although jockey Darren Beadman was not overly disappointed.

The theme all along from the Thorn Park camp has been that he is in Melbourne for the $753,000 group one Cadbury Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on February 15, but no doubt trainer Bob Thomsen, not to mention the connections of other hopefuls, will be relieved to know they won't be taking on Innovation Girl in that race.

Mayfield-Smith believes Innovation Girl races too hard to be suited over 1600 metres at this stage.

"We've got a few other options for her and I know one day she'll get into a group one race and win it," he said.

Innovation Girl yesterday took her record to 10 wins, with two seconds, from 13 starts and she has now beaten the colts three times along the way.

Her only unplaced effort was over 1400 metres in the group three Jumeriah Stakes at Caulfield last spring, when she finished a close fifth behind La Bella Dame after a torrid run in the race.

Mayfield-Smith had few concerns about her handling the trip of yesterday's group three race and he said that once Nash Rawiller was able to get her settled after she wanted to race fiercely early, "I knew she'd keep going, she's got a lot of ticker".

Rawiller had Innovation Girl cruising in the lead after 200 metres and she ran the 1420 metres in one minute 22.7 seconds, compared with the course record of 1:20.6 for 1400 metres held by Lovey.

Starting favourite at $2.25 after opening at $2, Innovation Girl won by three-quarters-of-a-length from Delargo Brom ($17), who came from last at the 400 metres, with Tycoon Ruler ($61), half-a-length away third. Certainly racing close to the lead was the place to be yesterday, which enhanced the efforts of Delargo Brom and even Thorn Park, who was fifth, but nothing detracted from Innovation Girl's win.

Rawiller said he thought it best "not to fight her" when Innovation Girl saw daylight and wanted to charge forward after Blur led her in the first 100 metres, and when she found the lead, it was all plain sailing.

Although Delargo Brom and Thorn Park ran the last 200 metres slightly faster than the winner, Rawiller let her cruise to the line in the final 50 metres.

Thomsen said Thorn Park had got too far out of his ground in the early stages and was forced wide at a crucial point of the race, which was confirmed by the stewards' report.

Beadman said he had to make up a lot of ground after going back from his outside barrier early and the colt had tried to hang in when he made his run down the centre of the track.

He said Thorn Park, who had not raced for three weeks, ran out of puff in the final 100 metres. The colt blew badly on returning to scale.

Trainer Tommy Hughes was thrilled with the run of Delargo Brom, whom he described as being bigger and better this time in and as ideally suited over the 1600 metres of the Cadbury Guineas.

"He was just a big baby in the spring and he is 18 kilograms heavier now than when he ran in the Carbine Club Stakes (on derby day)", Hughes said.

With the guineas now unlikely, Mayfield-Smith said the $200,000 Swettenham Stud Stakes (1200m) for fillies and mares at Morphettville on February 15 was on the agenda for Innovation Girl.

"There are a few races coming up that will suit her better than the guineas at this stage."

The other Sydney visitor, Jeremiad, winner of three of his previous four starts, beat only two home and Perth gelding Hardrada was last.