Sense Of Honour has made a one-act affair of her debut at Sandown but the filly will need to be a late entry if she is to run in next month’s Group One Blue Diamond Stakes.
Trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent jr, Sense Of Honour ($4.60) was well-supported in Monday’s Ladbrokes Plate (1200m) at Sandown for two-year-old fillies and gave her supporters little cause for concern.
With Ben Melham aboard, Sense Of Honour raced one-out, one-back in the field of eight before striding up with purpose early in the straight to hit the front at the 200m.
Sense Of Honour drew away to score by three lengths over fellow debutante Miss Inbetween ($21) with another head to Debutant Stakes placegetter Queen Of Rocks ($3.20), who worked home for third.
“She gave me a nice feel,” Melham said.
“She showed she had nice ability in her jump-out but she was quite raw. She came here today and was really professional. She put them away easily.
“I thought it was a quite a nice performance.”
Melham believes Sense Of Honour has the scope to improve again next time she races.
“She was raw in her trial and learned a lot from her trial to here so if she makes that improvement again, I don’t see why not,” he said.
Sense Of Honour was a $340,000 yearling and is by 2015 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Pride Of Dubai out of Little Miss Smiley.
The Group One Blue Diamond (1200m) for two-year-olds is at Caulfield on February 22 but Sense Of Honour is not among the second acceptances.
She is raced by Phoenix Thoroughbreds who would need to pay a $55,000 late entry fee to run in the race.
The filly is among Golden Slipper nominations and on Monday was at $101.
Stable representative Mick Nolan said Sense Of Honour had always been a sensible filly.
“She’s always shown good ability. It’s not a flash in the pan performance,” he said.
