Coming off the back of a maiden victory at Morphettville recently at just her second start, the Phillip Stokes trained Snow Mercy highlighted her future class with an impressive victory in the Group 3 MVRC Scarborough Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
With Esha (Extreme Choice) starting the race favourite, Lachlan Neindorf jumped 'outsider' Snow Mercy away well from the inside gate with the daughter of Swettenham Stud’s Toronado (IRE) settling in third position tracking the favourite.
While the favourite wasn’t given her own way in front, she led the field into the home straight as the Queensland visitor Vein Girl (Blue Point) with James McDonald in the saddle started to come around the outside to make a race of it.
One of the first beaten, Esha unfortunately put up the white flag while Neindorf came off the back of Vein Girl aboard Snow Mercy to mount a challenge.
Hitting the lead, and pulling away, Snow Mercy held off the late charge of the Peter Snowden trained Memo (Capitalist) to win by three quarters of a length, with jockey Nash Rawillier protesting unsuccessfully against the winner.
Charging home from back in the field, Blue Point filly Point Barrow, a winner of her last two starts secured her second piece of black type, having also finished third on debut at Listed level.
Speaking post-race on behalf of his Dad (and trainer), Tommy Stokes was full of praise for the improving filly.
“She's shown a lot of promise with her data at home back in Adelaide, it's been super,” said Tommy Stokes.
“To be honest, she couldn't have really done much more than she has in her two starts today. She probably should have won on debut, arguably, and second up she was super.
“She's been underdone for both of those runs too, and to come here third up on a big night.
“She's been prepped up really well by the team in Adelaide. Full credit to them, they do a great job, and I suppose the Adelaide form is always a bit discounted.
“She was super, she paraded really well, and aided by a really good ride by Lachie, summed up the race pre-race for us, and that's how it eventuated.
“So we're really rapt, and we might have to change our plans, although we were quietly confident going into the race, to win it is another thing, so we might have to choose a different way of getting to a better race now.”
Confident that she is only going to improve, Stokes was enthused to secure some black type for the filly.
“We just wanted to get a bit of black type this preparation, and we know that she's going to be a better autumn horse,” said Stokes.
“So, world's her oyster, and very good to kick off a group three winner, especially in these colours too. Instant Celebrity won in these colours, she won a group one Sangster. Really rapt for Trevor and Beth Robinson, they're great family friends of ours and just a great supporter, so it's a great night.”
Having built a great working relationship with the Stokes yard, jockey Lachlan Neindorf has always felt this filly was above average.
“She's a good horse,” said Neindorf. “I've always had a big opinion of this filly from the early doors when I sat on her. I said to Tommy one morning, we've got something here and she just kept on going shin sore and minor issues.
“The team have been really patient with her and she's kept on coming back and showing us signs that she could reach this level.
“It's good to get her here tonight and a great bunch of owners. It's a privilege to ride a winner in these colours. Obviously, going back to Instant Celebrity, she was a top-class sprinter, and she looks like she's going to follow in her footsteps.”
Bred by Trevor and Beth Robertson, the filly was raised at Mill Park Stud before being offered at the Magic Millions yearling sale where she failed to meet her $150,000 reserve.
Retained to race by her breeders, plus a host of other owners, Snow Mercy’s Group 3 victory takes her record to two wins and a second from just three starts with earnings of $194,895.
It is the second win in the last five years in the race for Mill Park yearling graduates with the Mark and Levi Kavanagh trained Seradess (Astern) capturing the race in 2021 at just her fourth start.
Snow Mercy is one of four winners, and first stakes winner out of the placed Sepoy mare Snow Surrender, herself a half-sister to Listed winner Adelong (Medaglia d’Oro), from the the family of Group 1 winners Snowland (Snippets) and Return To Conquer (Snitzel), as well as Group 2-winning, Group 1 placed Portillo (Red Ransom).
Snow Surrender has a 2yo colt by Lonhro, followed by a yearling filly by Grunt with the mare due to foal this season to Darley’s three-time Group 1-winning Oasis Dream stallion Native Trail (GB).
Snow Mercy became the 45th stakes winner for Swettenham Stud’s Toronado, who was unfortunately withdrawn from service this season due to a significant infection and lameness.
