A big day at Ascot on Saturday for Lucy Warwick, who bagged a notable double with the three-year-old maiden Admiration Express in the Group III Champion Fillies (1600m) and the ageless This'll Testya in the Group III Colonel Reeves.
The Jason Miller-trained Admiration Express was overdue for a change of luck and chose the right spot to find it.
A pearler from Lucy Warwick on Admiration Express in Champion Fillies (image Western Racepix/Perth Racing)
Given a positive ride by Lucy Warwick, the daughter of My Admiration broke her maiden at start four with a length and three-quarter win over the favourite Laced Up Heels (Toronado), who ran out of gas after never getting any closer than three wide the trip.
Willie Pike came from last to grab third on the No Nay Never filly Linden Lady.
"She shouldn't have been a maiden - she should have won last start," Miller said.
"I have always had a lot of time for her; that's why we nominated her.
"Many first-time owners are celebrating their first winner, and it's not a bad race to win.
'She has some stamina on her dam's side, which she showed today as she dug deep and was strong on the line.
"We will decide where she goes after this over a couple of beers tonight."
Lucy Warwick said it was not straightforward.
"She travelled super but was quite green. She hung out a few times, and I lost some cover, and I was worried something would sneak up on the inside," Warwick admitted.
Admiration Express a $60,000 Perth Magic Millions yearling
"Coming to the 600m, she wobbled a bit, but once she straightened up, she knew what to do. She has a lot more to offer."
A $60,000 purchase for her trainer from the Namerik Thoroughbreds draft at the 2021 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale, Admiration Express is the fifth winner from as many to race for the 5-time winning Verglas (IRE) mare Comme Ci.
Also, the dam of the stakes placegetters Fred Dag (Patronize) and Janaura (Safeguard), Comme Si, had a Patronize filly sell to Hayden Ballantyne Racing at the 2022 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale and has been named Flinders Lane.
Comme Ci foaled a yearling filly and a colt foal by Patronize.
Admiration Express is the third stakes-winner for the Encosta De Lago stallion My Admiration, which stands at Westbury Park Stud in Western Australia, for a fee of $4,400.
