Trainer Rob Heathcote declared next year’s Group One Winter Stakes as the long range goal for Fillydelphia following her commanding victory in the Listed Brisbane Handicap at Doomben on Saturday.
Ridden by Jim Byrne, Fillydelphia had 1-1/4 lengths to spare over Humma to give Heathcote the quinella in the 1600m feature.
Early leader Rockdale was a further three-quarters of a length away third.
While Heathcote believes the talented mare will prove an ideal contender for the Winter Stakes (1400m) next June, he’s got some unfinished business with the four-year-old daughter of Bianconi during the summer.
“Her goals this campaign are the Recognition Stakes and Bernborough Handicap next month,” Heathcote said.
“She’s a quality mare and she showed that during the winter when she won the (Group Three) Rough Habit Plate.
“This is a time honoured race and she put a few to the sword out there.”
Heathcote set Fillydelphia on a path to the Group One Queensland Oaks (2400m) during the winter but she failed to stay and finished a struggling seventh to New Zealand filly, Scarlett Lady.
“I’ve discovered her best distance is probably around 1600 metres and she has all the right credentials for the Winter Stakes,” he said.
Heathcote was also thrilled with Humma’s effort to get as close as he did to Fillydelphia in what was the eight-year-old’s second start since May.
“Humma is an old marvel and he’ll go on now to the Bernborough Handicap,” he said.
The Listed Bernborough Handicap (1615m) on December 31 is the third leg of the Doomben summer series.
Earlier promising sprinter Cape Kidnappers maintained his perfect record with a narrow win over Magic Tartan in the Prestwide Financial Services Handicap (1200m).
Cape Kidnappers ($1.35 fav), was attacked throughout the race before holding on for a long neck win over Patinack Farm’s fast-finishing Magic Tartan ($15) with King Of The Congo ($21), a further three-quarters of a length away third.
The son of Commands, who scored a six length win at Eagle Farm on Melbourne Cup day, is from Alan Bailey’s former useful mare Kidnapper whose career was cut short with bone splints after she won four of her 14 starts.
Trainer Kelly Schweida believes Cape Kidnappers, who has now won his only three starts and ran a sizzling 1min08.88 seconds, is still on a learning curve but has reservations whether he’ll get much past 1200 metres.
“That was an impressive win considering they attacked him at both ends of the race,” Schweida said.
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