Sixth Winner for Better Than Ready

Mark Smith - Friday December 14

Lyndhurst Stud's exciting first season sire Better Than Ready kept his hot run going when Girls Are Ready showed a liking for the heavy track at Canterbury on Friday by downing the favourite Devachan in the 2yo Maiden Plate (1200m).

Ridden by Jess Taylor, Girls Are Ready tracked the tearaway leader Devachan who was over-racing for Kerrin McEvoy.

When Devachan began to shorten stride, Girls Are Ready pounced to win going away by one and three-quarter lengths from Devachan (Exceed And Excel) with War Baron (Declaration Of War) another length and a quarter back in third.

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A well-beaten third at Canberra when making her debut over 1000 metres, the Joe Cleary-trained filly appreciated the step up in distance according to the winning rider.


"Last start over the 1000m she struggled to keep up early and never travelled that well but she still hit the line really well and with the 1200m today she was able to get out and get in a nice spot," Taylor said.

"I still think she will get further because she was still under pressure the whole way but she is an honest little filly and I got a nice cart into the race, was able to cut back to the inside and I was pretty confident from the top of the straight. She got through the going really well and put them away."

Consigned to the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by her breeder Yarramalong Park, Girls Are Ready (pictured as a yearling) was purchased by Joe Cleary for $30,000.

She is the first foal of the Commands mare Commanding Epic a half-sister to the stakes-placed She's Miss Devine out of a half-sister to Group II Light Fingers Stakes winner Sharp (Danzero) from the family of the Group 1 Flight Stakes winner Angst (Kala Dancer).

Yarramalong Park will offer the full sister to Girls are Ready at the 2019 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale as Lot 577.

Girls Are Ready becomes the sixth winner for the leading first-crop sire Better Than Ready who has been well-supported at Lyndhurst Stud particularly by Yarramalong Park who also bred Better Than Ready's Doomben winner Betaima the recent Rockhampton Lepreezy.

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