Speak Fondly has rallied from the brink of defeat to give Gai Waterhouse an eighth win in the Flight Stakes.
In a three-way finish to the Group One race for three-year-old fillies at Randwick on Saturday, Speak Fondly had challengers to outside and inside before getting the photo.
Tommy Berry reunited with Waterhouse to lift Speak Fondly across the line.
Berry was Waterhouse’s No.1 stable jockey until deciding to ride as a freelancer last season but he returned to the Tulloch Lodge fold at the expense of suspended rider Kerrin McEvoy.
Ridden in a manner Waterhouse-trained horses are accustomed to, Speak Fondly sat outside her stablemate Flamboyant Lass who made the running.
She was one of four horses in contention but looked the least likely until she dug in for the fight at the 200m.
“You can’t take anything away from her,” Waterhouse said.
“She just gave that little bit. You’ve only got to give a little bit to win these races. Gosh she’s good.”
VRC Oaks-bound filly Honesta came from midfield to finish second with Perignon, which made her run on the inside, only a matter of centimetres away third.
Speak Fondly made it seven Epsom day favourites to win from the first eight races.
