Golden Queen’s formlines read like a who’s who of Australian racing but the Tulloch Lodge filly has finally found the right race to shed her maiden tag.
After having the misfortune of bumping into subsequent Group 1 winners Jacquinot, In Secret and Communist during her first six starts, Golden Queen ($2.05 fav) got the monkey off the back, leading throughout to hold off Shipshape ($4.40) for a deserved win in the TAB Plate (1300m) at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
“I was worried it was going to be another second there at the furlong, but it was good to see once she was challenged, she really rallied late, picked herself up and was strong to the line,” Bott said.
“She had some great form behind some talented horses that have gone on and competed at the top level so the fact she has finally been able to break through off some good performances was very encouraging to see.”
John Sargent produced an emphatic winner of the opening race when debutante Last Straw powered down the outside under Tom Sherry to blouse her rivals in the Arrowfield – A Tradition Of Greatness Handicap (1300m).
Sargent said he had expected the youngster to be competitive but was pleasantly surprised by the manner of her win.
“That was fantastic. I was expecting her to go well but it’s always a surprise first-up,” Sargent said.
“Tommy has done a lot of work on this horse. He trialled her and he gallops her and her last trial she was a bit slow out of the gates but she hit the line strong, so I said probably ride her the same if she’s a bit slow (out), and she was.
“I had her full brother too and he liked the sting out of the track so that’s obviously helped today as well.”
The Warwick Farm meeting was tinged with sadness when the Joseph O’Brien-trained Temple Of Artemis broke down in the third race and was later euthanased.
The international appeared set for an easy victory when he went amiss, James Mcdonald easing him down before jumping from the saddle.
Thankfully McDonald was uninjured in the incident.
