Michelle Payne labelled the promising Soft Sand as “the real deal” after the Colin Little-trained filly came from last to win at Sandown on Saturday.
Little said he was worried about the 1000m of the Ladies In Racing Magazine Handicap being too short for the three-year-old daughter of Danehill stallion Dansili.
“We knew she’d get back but she’s obviously very good to be able to give them a big start,” the Caulfield trainer said.
Payne bided her time before producing Soft Sand ($2.60 fav) to the outside for an unimpeded run and she scored by 1-1/4 lengths from the Patrick Payne-trained Song Of The Bell ($5) with Amour Cache ($14) a short half-head away third.
Payne said Little had told her to trust Soft Sands’ ability and let her settle back.
“I think she’s the real deal,” she said.
“She’s a little bit hot so she’ll probably suit a girl rider. I’ll tell him that and hopefully he’ll keep me on her.”
Little checked out the credentials of Dansili with a friend at the British Horseracing Board, noting that he was the sire of star English galloper Harbinger and 2006 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Rail Link.
He secured Soft Sand for $160,000 as a yearling in Sydney and she is raced by the Glenferrie Farm Syndicate.
Soft Sand has raced just twice for two very impressive wins, the first being in a Bendigo 1100m two-year-old fillies maiden which she won by 2-3/4 lengths on July 7.
Little said the plan had been to get her ready for black-type fillies races in February.
But she needed to win a metropolitan race to give her a chance of getting starts in those better events.
The Group Two Angus Armanasco Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 25 is the race Little said he had in mind for her.
“She’s really a month early but as a maiden winner before today we thought she might struggle to get a run in those sort of races so we thought we’d go off early and pick out a nice little race,” Little said.
“Being a metropolitan winner now she should get a run in those sort of races now and we’ll just back off her a little bit.
“She might be in the paddock for seven or 10 days before starting on her again.”
Little said Soft Sand would hopefully get out to 1600m.
“She might even get further if we teach her to relax. One of the reasons we rode her back today was just teaching her to relax and just rely on her natural ability to win the race,” he said.
AAP TURF
