Blue Door has returned to the winner’s list in emphatic fashion, producing a dominant front-running performance to claim the Group 3 Heritage Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill.
The Bjorn Baker-trained filly was sent out a short-priced favourite following consecutive seconds in the Rosebud and San Domenico Stakes and made the most of her fitness advantage under Nash Rawiller.
Rawiller allowed Blue Door to use her natural speed from the outset, crossing to the lead before establishing a clear advantage over Our Emperor and Oh Yes She Did.
Blue Door travelled comfortably approaching the home turn and Rawiller remained patient early in the straight as Ciaron’s Star began to improve along the inside.
Once asked to extend inside the final 200 metres, Blue Door quickly put the result beyond doubt, racing clear to record an impressive victory over Ciaron’s Star, with Outspan finishing third and Half Pipe fourth.
Rawiller had been confident about Blue Door’s prospects before the race after riding the filly in trackwork during the week.
“She’s electric,” Rawiller said before the race. “We’ll just let her do her thing.”
He felt the daughter of Stay Inside was well placed despite having to concede weight to several of her rivals.
“The only negative I can see out of it is the weight set-up that she’s giving these colts weight, but that’s because she’s winning her first start, which was a Group Three,” Rawiller said.
“It’s not like she’s got 58 either, she’s got 56.5, so I think she’s well-placed in this grade.”
The victory gave Blue Door her second Group 3 success from four career starts, having won the Kindergarten Stakes on debut before finishing runner-up to Chilly Girl in the Rosebud and Guest House in the San Domenico Stakes.
Blue Door stopped the clock at approximately 1:02.64, narrowly outside the 1:02.41 track record established by Guest House in the San Domenico Stakes at her previous start.
The result also completed a strong piece of form for Baker’s filly, who had finished just 1.25 lengths behind Guest House when runner-up in the San Domenico.
Ciaron’s Star produced an encouraging first-up performance for Ciaron Maher and Zac Lloyd to finish second, while the Michael Freedman-trained Outspan improved sharply with blinkers applied for the first time to take third.
