With the pressure off after her milestone win to outride her claim, apprentice Katelyn Mallyon has started the new year with a winner at Flemington.
Mallyon guided Want To Rock home in the New Year Plate on Friday for her bosses Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra.
The Ellerton and Zahra-trained Miss Cooper gave Mallyon her 80th metropolitan winner at Sandown on Wednesday when she joined Michelle Payne as the only two women to outride their claims in Melbourne.
“I came into today with no pressure which is nice,” Mallyon said.
“I knew this filly had good ability and it was pleasing to see her put it altogether on race day.”
Showing good pace, Want To Rock ($11) led throughout to score a half-neck victory from Le Renarde ($3.90) with Gimlet ($5) 2-1/4 lengths away third.
The Ellerton and Zahra stable also saddled the favourite Sword Of Light who was withdrawn at the start after banging her head.
Zahra said Want To Rock had been the pick of the two runners after showing the stable natural ability from the time she came into training.
“I backed her,” Zahra said.
“She had trialled well but we had never let her head go in any of her trials.
“She’s a big strong filly and will learn a fair bit out of today.”
Zahra said the stable will see how the filly pulls up from her debut win before deciding on a program.
“She’s a bit turned in and puffy in the knees so we didn’t want to go pushing her,” Zahra said.
“We’ll let her tell us what she wants to do.”
