Premier trainer Tony Gollan’s belief star filly Isotope was more than a speed horse was confirmed in a come-from-behind-win at the Sunshine Coast.
At her first run Isotope won a Doomben two-year-old over 1050m by 10 lengths after racing in the lead.
Sent out a prohibitive favourite, Isotope sat fourth, several lengths off the pace, but took a gap at the 250m to score a strong win.
Under jockey Baylee Nothdurft, Isotope ($1.30) had 2-1/4 lengths to spare over Goldsborough ($26).
Well-performed filly Gotta Kiss ($3.70) finished a nose away third as Isotope posted smart time figures, clocking 57.67 seconds.
Gollan said he had always believed Isotope was more than a speed horse and the race had proved it.
“It showed she is no one-trick pony. Isotope is ready for at least 1200m now,” Gollan said.
“Isotope had a good blow after the race and will be further improved.
“She will go straight to the (Group Two) Champagne Classic in four weeks and she will be hard to beat. She is a class filly.”
Isotope, a daughter of promising sire Deep Field, is closely related on her dam’s side to Group One winner Yankee Rose.
Yankee Rose was a brilliant two-year-old, winning the Group One ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes after finishing runner-up in the Golden Slipper.
Her record as a three-year-old was just as impressive, extending in distance with a Group One win in the Spring Champion Stakes and a placing behind Winx in the champion mare’s second Cox Plate triumph.
It leads Gollan to believe Isotope is also a contender in longer races, including the Group One JJ Atkins which has been reduced in distance to 1400m this year.
Nothdurft will be available to ride Isotope in the Champagne Classic after appealing one of the two suspensions hanging over him.
He has appealed a 13-day ban suspension from the Sunshine Coast last week but has taken another seven-day hit from Doomben last Saturday.
At this stage he will miss only next Saturday’s Doomben meeting.
