Forbidden City has shown no ill-effects from an aborted spring campaign with a stunning first-up win at Sandown.
It may have been only a maiden race, but the Peter Moody-trained filly gave her rivals a galloping lesson in taking out the Ladbrokes Odds Boost Plate (1300m) on Wednesday.
Sent out the $1.75 favourite under Blaike Mcdougall, Forbidden City scored an eight-length victory from Ocean Raider ($3.50) with Scrambler ($26) a further 1-¼ length away third.
Moody thought enough of the daughter of I Am Invincible to be a Group 1 Thousand Guineas hope, but the filly was forced to miss the entire spring.
“She had a bit on those quality wise and she’s really come on from her campaign last year,” Moody said.
“It’s a shame that she missed out on the spring.”
Despite the eight-length margin, McDougall pushed the filly right to the line, something Moody was not expecting to see.
“She raced the leader and then he made her round the race off,” Moody said.
“She’ll take good improvement physically and mentally away from that and we’ve got that metropolitan win now so let’s see if we can get a bit of black type.”
Moody said the Group 2 Angus Armanasco Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 26 might be the next time Forbidden City is seen.
McDougall said Forbidden City had possibly travelled too well during the race and that he could have led on the filly.
Instead, he sat second outside Shade Of Midnight, ridden by Daniel Stackhouse, before taking over early in the straight.
“Luckily ‘Stacky’ took it up, but I ended up losing him at the most important time,” McDougall said.
“Luckily she’s a pretty smart filly.”
