Nicely bred two-year-old filly Rich Dottie provided Grahame Begg with a couple of firsts at Caulfield Heath.
The win of the filly in the Sportsbet Fast Form Handicap (1000m) on Wednesday was the trainer’s first two-year-old winner of the season as well as his first for Yu Long Investments.
Rich Dottie is a daughter of Dorothy Of Oz, a two-time winner, who in turn was out of Princess Coup, a four-time Group 1 winner in New Zealand.
“That’s my first two-year-old runner for the year and the first runner I’ve had for Yu Long and Mr Zhang,” Begg said.
“Let’s hope it is not the last.”
Jumping from barrier one under Michael Dee, Rich Dottie, the $3.10 favourite, gained an inside run on the fence to score by a neck from Blue Renegade ($31) with Mrs Archibald ($11) a short-neck away third.
Begg said drawing barrier one was not ideal for the filly, although she enjoyed a cosy run behind the speed.
But Begg was mindful of the filly needing a run in the straight, which luckily appeared at the appropriate time.
“She was getting a good run, and it was a matter of getting a run on the inside,” Begg said.
“It’s not easy for a horse having its first start to take an inside run being an inexperienced two-year-old, but she did a very good job and rounded it out very well.
“Michael didn’t rush her, and that was the good thing. He just let her find her feet early and let a couple cross her.
“She relaxed well enough for her first start, but I’m sure she’ll take great benefit from that first run today and there’s probably better things in store for her.
“But I’ll let the dust settle on today and work out something.”
The Begg stable was denied a double two races later when Inexorable was grabbed in the final stages of the Sportsbet Set A Deposit Limit Plate (1600m).
