Third on a heavy track at Warwick Farm when on debut last December, the 2-year-old Calyx filly Husk made the trip south to break her maiden in Wednesday's Sportsbet Fast Form Hcp (1000m) at Sandown-Hillside.
Husk sets up a winning break (image Racing Photos)
Ridden by Jordan Childs for Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes, Husk settled outside of the leader Miss Altair and quickened impressively when Childs asked for an effort at the 300m.
The Exceed And Excel debutant Cora Lynn was momentarily held up at the 250m before closing to one and a quarter lengths at the finish, with Godolphin's Brazen Beau colt Brighella back in third.
"They didn't go hard, so she had one either side of her. Quite often, that doesn't work out," Wayne Hawkes said.
"But she hadn't (raced the Melbourne way), so just having both horses around her probably helped her just rail around the corner.
"When Jordan kicked, she wanted to roll out a bit, they're only babies. But she's done a really good job, and her first run was very good.
"She's always done everything right, and as I said, our only hesitation was coming to Melbourne the first time, but she's been here since Friday and hasn't left an oat.
Husk - Jordan Childs (image Racing Photos)
"One thing about Jordan Childs is that he's a good two-year-old rider, helping them jump and balance them.
A homebred for Grant Briscoe's Kirk's Bridge Farm, Husk is a half-sister to Group II Perth Cup winner Casino Seventeen (Casino Prince) and is the fourth winner from as many to race for the Denman mare Tikal.
Kirks Bridge Farm purchased Tikal for $4,500 at the 2015 Inglis Australian Broodmare after she finished fourth at Randwick at her only start for Godolphin.
A daughter of the stakes-placed Last Tycoon mare Lanquin from the family of Group 1 BTC Cup winner Famous Seamus, Tikal has a weanling Spirit Of Boom colt and was covered by Trapeze Artist last spring.
Husk is the second winner from the first crop of Calyx after the Randwick winner Getafix.
The Group II-winning son of Kingman is also the sire of the talented filly Earthstorm, who has placed in all four starts, including a second in the Group II Karrakatta Plate, Listed Supremacy Stakes, and third in the Group III WATC Gimcrack Stakes.
Calyx shuttled to Coolmore Stud for two seasons, leaving 44 foals in his first crop and 32 in his second.
