Trainer John Moloney has flagged an exciting spring ahead for City Of Song after she stormed home to land the Blue Sapphire Stakes at Caulfield.
Moloney said the two-year-old filly, who has won two of four starts and been unlucky when placed on the other two occasions, had laid the foundation for a crack at much better races including the Group One Thousand Guineas in October.
“She is really good and is going to make up well in the spring,” Moloney predicted after City Of Song powered to a short head victory in Saturday’s Listed feature.
Cranbourne debut winner The New Boy ran bravely to finish second, three-quarters of a length ahead of tearaway pacemaker The Counterfeiter who held on well.
City Of Song may have been unbeaten had she not struck trouble at her last two runs.
Despite being erratic she scored a stunning debut win at Sandown on March 2 and finished third at her last two starts at Caulfield and Moonee Valley when she could not get clear running.
Jason Benbow rode her two starts ago when she was beaten just over a length by Mosheen who won her debut and finished second at her next start in the Golden Slipper Stakes.
Benbow still laments his first ride on the Bel Esprit filly when he got pocketed at Caulfield and was unable to test her to the line but said that on Saturday she relished the fast pace.
“I was really happy to have a field of 10 over 1200 metres where there was good speed,” Benbow said.
“She was able to get a nice cart into the race and show her best.”
Benbow said City Of Song had made a lot of improvement in her first campaign and would only be better in the spring.
“Even in her trackwork she has improved quite considerably,” he said.
Moloney trained City Of Song’s sister Music In The Park who contested the 2009 Thousand Guineas and also had stakes success with her mother Songs Of Vienna.
“Music In The Park finished twelfth in the Thousand Guineas and she (City Of Song) is better than her,” Moloney said.
“There were there some nice colts in this race today and she was able to beat them so against fillies hopefully she can measure up in the spring to some nice races.
“It is hard yards to get to a race like the Thousand Guineas but I think she will get a mile (1600m) for sure.
“She can sit back and finish off as you saw today.
“Early on this campaign she was new and green but has she has really found her way from there.”
AAP TURF
