It is relatively seldom that both a seasoned trainer and a very experience jockey give such a high level of praise to a racehorse who has just won her first start … but that was the case when the Kelly Schweida trained Miss Hipstar was punched home in striking fashion by jockey Larry Cassidy on debut in a two-year-old fillies Handicap at Doomben on Saturday … in the process pulling off a betting plunge.
“She has been fool-proof,” said Schweida. “We loved her at the sales. She wasn’t over-big but, when she was fully broken in, she just took off.
“I thought Kevin Thomas of Washpool Lodge had swopped a horse on me.
“She has always shown us quite a bit. She is just a gorgeous filly. Larry Cassidy has been riding her in work … and he loves her. He was pretty confident.
“When he rode her in the trial … he got her in behind so she could have a look. She does see a few pink elephants … and he worked her along close to the winning post.
“I was quite surprised that she got here in the early two-year-old race. I thought she is too big. She will go shin-sore, but she is just a natural racehorse. When we bought her, I said this filly has got a swagger about her. At the sales she just pushed everyone out of the way. She just couldn’t care less.
‘She sticks her tongue out of the side and let’s everybody play with it. She is just gorgeous.
Jockey Larry Cassidy isn’t far behind Schweida in his admiration for Miss Hipstar.
‘I rode her in a trial at Doomben. She was pretty new,’ said Cassidy. “She was a bit slow out and then I think I was three deep on her. In the straight I took her back in so she got a little bit of experience going in-between runners … and she trialled alright.
“I came back and said … oh my god, I really love her. She could be an Oaks filly.
“Then we gave her a jump-out at Eagle Farm two weeks ago and she pinged and I was sitting outside the leaders and she was absolutely bolting. She could have won as she liked.
“She has taken great improvement from that. In her trackwork since, she has worked beautifully. She is so relaxed. The best thing about her is she has got that gate speed and then wants to switch off, get her head down and get into a rhythm.
“She did have a look around when she hit the front. I ride her in trackwork on her own. She looks around and doesn’t do much until you ask her. I’ve been lucky enough to get good experience on her so I knew what to expect coming into the straight.
“I gave her a good look at the winning post in the walkdown going to the start. She ducked away from it at the trials the other day … today no problem.
“I would have said a month ago that I couldn’t see her winning over 1100 … let alone leading and winning it, so she really has taken that next step.
“She doesn’t have to lead. I’m sure she will be a better chaser and I’m also certain she has improvement in her,” concluded Cassidy.
