The Patinack Farm team is dreaming about running Affable in the Group One Thousand Guineas in the spring following her easy win in the Gibson Carmichael Stakes at Flemington.
Assistant trainer Glen Thompson said his brother, head trainer John Thompson, would almost certainly resist the challenge to take the daughter of Husson to Queensland for two year-old features over the winter.
“The decision is up to John but I would assume she’s earned a break,” Thompson said.
Affable was facing her first test beyond 1200m in the 1600m Listed event and coped with the longer trip admirably.
“There was a big question mark over whether she would actually cope with the trip but we took the gamble on it and it worked out,” Thompson said.
Ridden by Mark Zahra and wearing winkers instead of blinkers, Affable ($7) settled last of the seven runners.
She quickly put the issue beyond doubt in the straight racing away to score by three lengths from Donna Cattiva (2.45 fav) with Subiaso ($26) a half-neck away third.
“John just thought she a bit cautious in the blinkers so he just wanted to open things up a little bit more and it worked out,” Thompson said.
“She’s above average so if she can go out and come back a bit stronger filly I think she’ll definitely handle a big step up in grade.”
Affable, who has won two of her five starts including a Sale two-year-old maiden (1000m) on debut last November, and has been placed over 1000m and 1200m at Caulfield.
She is out of the Redoute’s Choice mare Lady Gracious, a dual Sydney winner up to 1250m and id from the same family as dual Group One winner Turffontein who won up to 1600m.
“She’s given us every indication she’d been looking for the mile (1600m) but she’s definitely not bred to run any further,” Thompson said.
“So we just have to give her a break hopefully and dream about heading towards the Thousand Guineas.”
Zahra was impressed with the filly.
“They were off season and she was very dominant. She might be better than them,” he said.
“She’s got very good acceleration.”
