Just one of the nine three-year-old fillies contesting Saturday’s Group II Antler Luggage Fillies Classic at Moonee Valley had a stakes win to their credit but at the end of the 1600 metres, that number had increased to three.
The judge could not separate the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Fasino and the Henry Dwyer-trained La Falaise.
Fascino, under Mark Zahra, looked set to tough out a narrow win however La Falaise under Ben Melham made a late dive to share the spoils with Chris Waller’s Fastnet Rock filly Nudge a neck back in third.
While the Charm Spirit filly Fascino was the most expensive filly in the field have been purchased by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock / Waterford Bloodstock for $400,000 out of the Windsor Park draft out of Book 1 of the 2018 Karaka Yearling Sale, the Canford Cliffs filly La Falaise came from the other end of the spectrum being bargain-basement $5,000 purchase Forest Lodge Racing from the Blue Gum Farm draft at the 2018 VOBIS Gold Yearling Sale.
La Falaise takes her record to 2 wins and 1 third from 6 starts with earnings of $220,610 while Fascino advances her record to 2 wins, 1 second and 1 third from 7 starts with earnings of $210,250.
Dwyer said La Falaise had earned a spell.
"She's very fine and light so with a bit of sun on her back over the spring and early summer she's going to be a beautiful filly in the autumn," he said.
Ciaron Maher said they will consider next Saturday's Wakeful Stakes (2000m) for Fascino.
"She never struck me as a horse that will stay but three-year-olds, if they are in form, can race over distances further than their best if they're in good order," Maher said.
"We may look at the Wakeful. I don't think she would run an Oaks trip (2500m). I'm not ruling that out, but I don't think so."
The best of two winners from as many foals for the stakes-winning Exceed And Excel mare Exceedingly French, La Falaise becomes the 14th stakes-winner for the former shuttler Canford Cliffs (IRE).
Blue Gum consigned a Street Boss (USA) filly out of Exceedingly French to this year’s Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale where she was knocked down to Shane Nichols Racing for $100,000.
Exceedingly Good has a yearling filly by Manhattan Rain and was covered by the son of Encosta de Lago again last year.
In becoming the third stakes-winner for Windsor Park Stud shuttler Charm Spirit (IRE), Fascino is the second winner first stakes-winner for the top-class Savabeel mare Lady Kipling a dual Group II winner in New Zealand who runner-up in the Group 1 WRC Captain Cook Stakes Group 1 Thorndon Mile, Group 1 Otaki Maori RC WFA Stakes and third in the Levin Classic.
Windsor Park consigned a Tavistock colt out of Lady Kipling to the 2019 NZB Karaka Sale with Aquis Farm / DGR Thoroughbreds / Sargent Racing having the final say at $230,000.
Lady Kipling has a yearling filly by Turn Me Loose.
She has also foaled again at Windsor Park this spring producing a colt by Charm Spirit (IRE) pictured above.
