Peter & Paul Snowden have claimed the Listed Lonhro Plate, as debutant Cythera was able to cling on over the short-price favourite, Lady Laguna.
The $420,000 yearling purchase was well-supported in betting, firming $9.50 into $5.50 prior to the jump, while the runner-up started $2.45 favourite with Sportsbet.
After jumping cleanly from barrier six, Tommy Berry guided the two-year-old filly to sit outside the leader, Spacewalk, before claiming the lead halfway up the home straight.
The two-year-olds ran a good time of 57.69s for the 1000m journey, and finished off the race’s last 600m in 33.67s.
Co-trainer Paul Snowden spoke with Sky Racing shortly after the race, saying his filly has “plenty of class”.
“She’s got the grouse attitude and obviously plenty of class, so that will take us a long way,” the winning trainer said.
“We were pretty confident she could run well; it’s obviously only her first time at the races and things can go wrong – she did a lot wrong to tell you the truth.
“I was glad when Hughie (Bowman aboard Spacewalk) kicked up to give us something to chase, because she’s still very new and you seen her idle down late when she did hit the front.
“She’s got a lot more to offer, this filly.”
Cythera won a trial prior to her debut run, which Tommy Berry partnered her in too.
The winning rider spoke highly of the filly post-race, saying it “was a very good effort”.
“I really liked her off her trial,” Berry said.
“It’s a very good effort for her to come here off just one trial – usually Pete gives them a couple, but obviously 1000m, usually they can do that off one.
“We were a bit worried about finding the front on her today because she does prick her ears and get a little bit lost, and in a lot of her work she comes from behind and works to the line well.
“That showed today. She looked the winner until she got there and she didn’t know how to quite finish it off.
“It was a good effort and she’s a lovely filly going forward.”
Cythera holds a nomination for the Group 1 Blue Diamond (1200m) at Caulfield on February 26, where she is now a $21 chance with online bookmakers, while she has been wound from $81 into $15 in the Golden Slipper.
Lady Laguna lost no admirers after her narrow defeat, with the Annabel Neasham galloper into $16 for the Blue Diamond.