Florentina made up for the disappointment of a throat deformity and added some black type to her resume with victory in the $125,000 Gold Coast Guineas (1200m) on Saturday.
Florentina was having her first start since she underwent throat surgery late last year and the Redoute’s Choice filly showed her true quality when she stormed home to win the Group Three feature.
Winning jockey Glyn Schofield angled Florentina ($6) from the box seat rounding the turn to the outside of the course in the best going and she found the line strongly to beat Punch On ($11) by a length.
Toowoomba gelding Double Impact ($15) continued his good form to finish a neck back third with Emmalene ($8) fourth.
Schofield said he was confident Florentina had the best form leading into the race and said she travelled sweetly during the run.
“I went into the race with plenty of confidence and she justified that,” Schofield said.
“I was happy where she was and conscious I needed to get off the fence and find the best going wide out in the straight.
“She’s a very consistent filly and it’s a shame she has a throat problem because she is very talented.”
Winning trainer David Payne prepared Florentina’s mother Celebria for owner-breeder John Camilleri but she broke down and was sent to the breeding barn.
Camillieri promised Payne one of Celebria’s foals and sent Florentina to him when she was a yearling.
“Her mother was a cripple and John gave me this filly to train,” Payne said.
“She has any amount of natural ability but she has problems with her throat and that restricts what I can do with her.
“We’ll take her step by step and I am certain she can pick up another black type race up here in Queensland.”
Race favourite Easy Running ($3.50) settled worse than midfield on the rail and failed to gain momentum in the straight.
