Country maiden winner Lucky Penny made a successful transition to city racing at Caulfield on Saturday.
The Keep The Faith three-year-old won a 1400m Wodonga fillies and mares maiden by eight lengths on debut on April 10 and trainer Peter Morgan had no hesitation in stepping her up to a Saturday city race.
Ridden by Linda Meech, Lucky Penny, favourite at $4.80, trailed race leader Slewsay in the PFD Food Services Handicap (1400m) before dashing clear to score by 2-3/4 lengths from Tai Tai Tess ($9.50) with Rose Pattern ($41) three-quarters of a length away third.
“She probably surprised me a little bit but the sectionals at Wodonga were pretty good,” Morgan said.
“She ran her last 400 in 23.1 (seconds) and Linda never let her go until the 300m and she eased her up at the 50m, so it was pretty good time considering.
“I thought she had to be a bit better than normal to keep going today but she’s kicked away and done a good job.”
Morgan said the filly would try for a hat-trick of wins in the Listed Laelia Stakes (1600m) at Morphettville on May 12.
“There’s always Queensland to go to after that but we’ll just see what happens,” said the trainer.
“I think she’s mature enough so we may keep going.”
Lucky Penny was bred by Rick Smith who races the filly.
She is from the Flying Spur mare White Hart Lane, a three-time Sandown winner who was placed at Group Three level in the SAJC Sires’ Produce Stakes.