Chilly Girl followed the speedy Blue Door into the straight before the two fillies broke clear for a stirring duel over the final 200m.
But it was the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained Chilly Girl who gained the upper hand near the line to score by a convincing and widening margin.
It was a training triumph for Ryan and Alexiou after their talented filly suffered a hamstring injury just a few days after winning the Widden Stakes brilliantly on debut back in January.
“After she came back following her hamstring problem, there was nothing for her over winter so I said we will aim for this race,” Ryan said. “She has had a long, slow preparation for this race but after I saw her parading in the mounting yard, I was more confident about her chances today. She’s a promising filly.”
Chilly Girl ($6.50), well ridden by Tim Clark, followed Blue Door ($3.60 favourite) through the race and then finished too strongly to win by a length with Central Europe ($5.50) running on strongly for third, a further one-and-a-quarter lengths away just in front of Castillo King. Those looking for the best horse racing betting sites saw Chilly Girl get the better of the well-supported favourite.
Clark said Chilly Girl was “fantastic” and will improve further after having her first start in more than six months.
“Chilly Girl jumped well, rolled forward and worked across with Blue Door,” Clark said.
“I found its back and I thought it would take me everywhere I needed to go, which it did.
“She still got a little bit lost when I had to come off Blue Door’s back and had to really chase after it.,
“But I loved the way she knuckled down late, she was very determined. It was a really strong win, she has come back in great order.”
Chilly Girl was bred and owned by Bert Vieira and is a daughter of his former outstanding sprinter and now leading Widden Stud stallion, Trapeze Artist.
The unbeaten filly’s dam is I Got Chills, the former brilliant speedster and one-time Golden Slipper favourite but was forced out of the world’s richest two-year-old race in 2006 with injury.
I Got Chills, who landed a massive betting plunge winning the Maribyrnong Trial Stakes, was part-owned by legendary Australian singer Olivia Newton-John.
Chilly Girl was also going to be given her chance at the Golden Slipper but like her dam she missed the race with that hamstring injury.
Ryan believes Chilly Girl’s misfortune last season could prove a blessing in disguise as it gave the filly more time to develop and mature.
“It was good for Bert to see Chilly Girl win as he’s been very patient,” Ryan said.
“We will go to the Furious Stakes next and then the Tea Rose Stakes.
“After we get her out to 1400m in the Tea Rose, then we will decide if try her at a mile for the Flight Stakes or go back to the shorter races.”
Chilly Girl gave Ryan and Alexiou their second successive Rosebud after they won the three-year-old feature with Skyhook last year.
Blue Door, owned by John Singleton, led most of the way and held on well for second with trainer Bjorn Baker considering keeping the filly fresh for the Heritage Stakes later next month.
Central Europe ran on strongly for the minor placing, his third successive stakes placing in as many starts, with trainer Chris Waller suggesting the promising colt might go to the Run To The Rose in four weeks.
