Veteran trainer Pat Farrell is one person not surprised by country filly Alart’s Listed win at Rosehill.
Farrell, who trains at Muswellbrook, brought Alart to town to take on the might of the big city stables in Saturday’s Reginald Allen Quality (1400m).
The three-year-old was sent out a $12 chance but ran on strongly to beat the favourite Flamboyant Lass ($2.35) by a neck.
Her debut city win, which follows Alart’s 1200m track record at Scone last Tuesday week, has taken her record to six wins from her 11 starts.
“She’s always been handy and I thought that much of her when I broke her in that I went and bought her half-sister,” Farrell said.
“I was confident she (Alart) had done well.”
The Dubbo-based Greg Ryan, who recently became the just the second Australian jockey to ride more than 4000 winners, said Alart was yet to hit her ceiling.
“She travelled nicely into the straight,” Ryan said.
“(But) under pressure she’s just doing so much wrong, she’s going to be so much better in the next preparation.
“I really think after her next spell she’ll mature. She’ll eat better and settle down.”
A finicky eater, Alart still has much maturing to do and Farrell said she would not back up in next week’s Flight Stakes.
But trainer Gai Waterhouse, who was disappointed Flamboyant Lass didn’t win, said the Group One race for fillies was still on her agenda.
“We’re a bit disappointed. We thought she could win it and win it easily,” Waterhouse said.
“She’ll probably go to the Flight Stakes. We haven’t decided completely yet, we’ll let the dust settle.”
