Godolphin filly Alizee caught punters off guard with a comprehensive victory in the Group II Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday.
The market indicated genuine interest in only two runners - Champagne Cuddles ($3.40) and Tulip ($3.20 fav) - but neither had an answer to the finishing burst of Alizee ($10), which provided James Cummings with his first Group scalp in Sydney as head trainer for Godolphin.
Alizee had to bullock her way through at the 300m mark but quickly reeled in Bjorn Baker's Champagne Cuddles once clear to win by 1-1/4 lengths. Finishing a further length back in third was visiting Queenslander Cellargirl ($12), trained by Kelly Schweida.
Jockey Glyn Schofield, who has now been aboard the daughter of Exceed And Excel in three of her last four starts, wasn't surprised to see her upstage more fancied rivals in the $200,000 contest.
"Everyone has been waiting for her to show up and run well and she has been able to do that today, she certainly showed her best," Schofield said.
"We had a plan where we wanted to be around midfield with cover and we know that she can reel off a strong sectional we got up the rise and I asked her for an effort and she was electric."
Alizee will likely press on to the Group I Flight Stakes (1600m) in a fortnight, for which she is the new $3 favourite with online bookmaker Sportsbet."
