Gerald Ryan is now likely to direct his attention back to Black Type racing with Facile after the classy filly broke her maiden at Warwick Farm on Monday.
Ryan identified the $65,000 benchmark 68 event for three-year-olds as a suitable first-up option for the daughter of Trapeze Artist, who was the lightest-weighted runner in the race on 54kg due to being a maiden.
But she had finished second in three of her four starts at two, including being nosed out by Learning To Fly, who started second favourite in the Golden Slipper, in the Group 2 Reisling Stakes.
Facile was spelled after that early March event and was back in work in June, but a slight setback in August meant her first start as a three-year-old was delayed, which left Ryan happy to see her return a winner.
“She’s got improvement in her, it’s seven months since she’s raced, she’s only had one jumpout (and) one trial and she had a little setback about six weeks ago, which is why she hasn’t run earlier,” Ryan, who trains in partnership with Sterling Alexiou, said.
“She’s a nice filly. She’ll win better races.”
Facile showed good early speed to lead and was issued a stern challenge by Lost before straightening, which she saw off before having to then withstand an impressive finishing burst from Joliestar.
Facile, the $1.45 favourite, scored by half-a-length from Joliestar ($7) with Unstopabull ($6.50) 3-3/4 lengths away third.
Tyler Schiller partnered Facile to victory and was impressed with her fighting qualities.
“She doesn’t really give you a feel that she has a lot (to give) but I think she’s got a lot of fight,” Schiller said.
“She did a little bit of work to get across and then fired herself up a little bit, which probably took away from her finish, but I thought she’s got a nice cruising speed and she quickened well and she’s got more in store than this.”
