The margin was narrow, but Tempted underlined her status as the benchmark sprinting filly of her generation with a Group One Surround Stakes win that oozed class.
Extending to 1400m for just the second time in her career, Tempted looked to be in third gear as she began to lengthen stride down the Randwick straight, but with leader Savvy Hallie kicking strongly, the three-year-old was forced to dig deep.
Lifting under jockey Chad Schofield, the $1.60 favourite’s quality shone through and she surged again late to nail Savvy Hallie ($10) by long head with Ole Dancer ($9) best of the rest, another 1-3/4 lengths away.
“Chad, he knew what he had underneath him. I was actually thinking, God, you can get a little more desperate’ halfway down the straight,” a relieved trainer Ciaron Maher said.
“The 14 (1400m) is probably right at the top of her distance range, as we’ve seen. She’s run second and now won at Group One level, but you’d think she is more dynamic at six (furlongs,1200m).”
Runner-up to Hong Kong champion Ka Ying Rising in The Everest (1200m) as a spring three-year-old, Tempted might again be given her chance against the older sprinters in the T J Smith Stakes (1200m).
However, Maher said he would speak to owners Godolphin before confirming Tempted’s next start, although he did rule out a trip overseas.
“I travelled a three-year-old filly in Coolangatta, and I thought it was a bit early for her,” Maher said.
“This horse, we know she does have a bit of a temperament, so I just thought, maybe a little bit later in life.”
When asked if Tempted was among the best sprinters he had trained, Maher said she was better than 2024 Everest winner Bella Nipotina at the same stage, but only time would tell if she could match the latter’s longevity.
“She is definitely right up there. She ran second to the best sprinter in the world as a three-year-old. You’d think with furnishing, she is only going to get better,” he said.
It was a bittersweet finish for connections of Savvy Hallie, who were both proud of their filly and gutted to lose a Group 1 in a photo finish.
“Heartbreaking to get beaten,” jockey Nash Rawiller said.
“I loved her tenacity. She made Tempted really work for it. She was great.”
Second favourite Apocalyptic disappointed, finishing fourth and five lengths from the winner, with jockey Tommy Berry reporting she never felt comfortable in the run.
“She didn’t stretch out in the straight so it’s not the Apocalyptic we know,” Berry said.
