A Group One clash with stablemate Red Tracer awaits She’s Clean after a win in the June Stakes at Randwick that looked unlikely at the top of the straight.
The $4.20 favourite for the 1200m Listed sprint, She’s Clean was well back in the field on the fence after Jason Collett took her back from the outside barrier.
Topweight Neeson ($13) looked to have a winning break but once Collett got She’s Clean into clear running she chased the leader down to win by half a length.
Her win came after Red Tracer’s success in the Dane Ripper Stakes at Eagle Farm and shortly before trainer Chris Waller celebrated his eighth Group One of the season in the Queensland Derby with Hawkspur.
Red Tracer now heads to the final Group One of the season, the Tatt’s Tiara in two weeks and will be joined by She’s Clean.
“She’s Clean will go to Brisbane for the Tatt’s Tiara,” Waller’s foreman Peter Muscutt said.
“It’s a shame they have to clash. They are two fillies as tough as each other.”
She’s Clean is raced by the Ingham family and has a win over Appearance on her record in the Triscay Stakes in February.
Appearance went on to win both Sydney’s Group One fillies and mares’ races in the autumn, the Coolmore Classic and the Queen Of The Turf.
She’s Clean didn’t race in either of those races but Red Tracer finished runner-up each time.
Collett said She’s Clean had a will to win which continued to surprise him.
“I had my doubts she could pick him (Neeson) up,” he said.
“But she just wants to win. She pins her ears back and just tries every time.”
Her win was a double victory for punters who were left stranded with a late announcement of a change of tactics on Zaratone.
Having his second start for Bjorn Baker, Zaratone ($18) is a noted front runner and was expected to lead the field.
As the horses were being loaded into the barriers, the announcement was made he would be asked to take a sit, throwing the race pattern into confusion.
In fact Zaratone jumped so well, Kathy O’Hara had no option but to take him forward. He was a spent force in the straight and beat just two runners home.
Stewards adjourned an inquiry after talking to Baker’s foreman Shane Meagher who received a call from the trainer in Brisbane as the horses were being mounted.
Meagher rang the stewards after they had left the enclosure.
“This changed the character of the race,” chief steward Ray Murrihy said.
Betting steward Terry Griffin said his map and everyone else’s would have had Zaratone leading.
Stewards said they would talk to Baker at Randwick races on Monday.
