Three-year-old filly Hakkasan lived up to trainer Bruce Hill’s high rating when she caused an upset at the Gold Coast on Wednesday.
The Sun Up Solar Handicap (1100m) was expected to be an easy win for boom filly She’s Miss Divine ($1.40) who was having her first run back from injury after winning at her only start in February.
However, She’s Miss Divine was attacked in the lead for much of the race and after hitting the front in the straight folded to run fourth.
Jockey Jim Byrne was able to get a run behind the leaders in third place before pulling wide on Hakkasan ($17) to make a winning run in the straight.
“It was made for something to run on from behind,” Byrne said.
Hakkasan, who is by Hidden Dragon out of the former handy racemare Chocolate Starfish, cost only $10,000 at the 2013 Magic Millions sales.
The filly is raced by Michael Buys and Rob Willis whose colours have been carried by a string of top horses in the past decade including top filly Villa Verde.
Hill has always had a big opinion of the filly whose only previous win was in a Doomben two-year-old maiden but she was placed in good company during the winter.
“She had two trials leading into this get her ready,” Hill said.
Meanwhile, rookie trainer Brendan Mackay continued his good run with a small team when Craiglea Cruz won the Bernie’s Produce Handicap (900m).
Craiglea Cruz had won his previous start at Ipswich but started $8 in what was considered a much tougher race.
Mackay, who has spent several years with various trainers including Anthony Cummings, has set up on the Gold Coast where he is gradually building up his team.
“It takes a while to get established but things are coming together,” he said.
