Bargain-buy Elegant Queen has broken through for her first metropolitan success with an all-the-way win at Sandown.
A $1500 yearling at the Scone sales in 2014, Elegant Queen has returned her connections almost $125,000 following Wednesday’s win in the M & D Constructions Handicap (1400m).
Ridden by apprentice Ethan Brown, Elegant Queen ($4.60) scored by 1-1/4 lengths from Free Speech ($5) with $2.90 favourite Murphy a long head away third.
“Someone said I was drunk at Scone one day,” trainer and part-owner Tom Scanlon said.
“I liked the look of her when she came into the ring.
“She’s by Nicconi and I put in a bid of $1500 and nothing else happened.
“She’s a Super VOBIS horse as well which is great.”
Scanlon considered taking Elegant Queen to her home track at Pakenham on Thursday night but reasoned the better prize money at Sandown and a small field was a better proposition.
The victory was Elegant Queen’s sixth from 28 starts and Scanlon said he did not have any ambitious plans.
It was 17-year-old Brown’s third metropolitan winner.
