Archie Alexander will be in the good books at home with his wife Annie sharing in the ownership of Caulfield winner Bound For Home.
Trainer Archie Alexander conceded he was being a little arrogant when he decided to set Bound For Home for an early season three-year-old stakes race.
But his plan paid off with Bound For Home taking out the Group 3 Quezette Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Ridden by Declan Bates, Bound For Home ($31) scored from Ojai ($13) by a long neck with I’mlovin’ya ($5.50) a further 1-¾ lengths away third.
It may have been a shock to punters, but not Alexander who was confident of a bold run from the filly.
A debut winner at Ballarat in May, Bound For Home chased home the impressive Peter and Paul Snowden -trained Ghaanati at Flemington at her only other start.
“Being a bit arrogant, I thought let’s get in early, it might be a bit of a weak Group 3,” Alexander said.
“She’s fit, she’s well, so I thought let’s get in before the better ones come out, but maybe she is one of the better ones.”
However, not everything went to plan for Alexander and Bates with Bound For Home being a little slow from the barriers.
“She normally jumps, puts herself up there somewhere, but today she was out the back, in trouble and Declan was in an awkward spot,” Alexander said.
“Sometimes you get lucky and everything opened and it ended up being a beautiful ride by Dec who knows the filly well.”
Saturday’s victory for Bates was his first ride back following a month-long holiday in Ireland.
“He’s obviously good fresh,” Alexander said.
“He’s a big part of our team. I think he’s very much under-rated.”
Alexander said he would celebrate the victory before deciding on where Bound For Home may next appear.
“We’ll see, but she won’t go to the Thousand Guineas, she’s too brilliant,” Alexander said.
