A front-running masterclass by Blake Shinn has paid dividends for Drifting (+210) to claim the Group 3 Quezette Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday afternoon.
The daughter of Zousain was already a Group 3 winner as a two-year-old, with a victory in the Group 3 Magic Night Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill last preparation.
She was forced to lug the top-weight to victory on Saturday, but it didn’t seem to hinder the lightly raced three-year-old, with Shinn taking complete control from the jump.
He managed to tick off some manageable sectionals in the middle stages aboard the first-up filly before giving a strong kick in the final furlong, clinging on from the fast-finishing Tasmanian invader Geegees Mistruth (+800)
The well-supported favourite Kuroyanagi (+150) seemingly got every chance under Jamie Kah, with the Will Clarken & Niki O’Shea-trained filly stalking every step of the way from the one-one but didn’t let down with her customary turn-of-foot settling for a fourth-place finish.
It was all about the winner in the end though as Peter Snowden praised the win of his filly while keeping his cards close to his chest in regard to where we’ll see Drifting later in the spring.
“It’s good to see her win like that,” said Snowden.
“Blake (Shinn) rode her extremely well and I’d been disappointed if she didn’t win come the corner considering the run she had.
“She’s got a bombproof attitude, she’s got brilliant gate speed, and that’ll take you a long way. To be able to harness that and bring them back and rate them, and he did that perfectly today and hopefully that’s not her last win.
“Hopefully she can keep kicking goals.”
Blake Shinn was impressed with the victory as well and credited the Snowden camp having Drifting ready to fire first-up.
“Very exciting filly,” said Shinn.
“Full credit to Peter (Snowden), he’s placed her really well and she’s just a pleasure to ride, full proof in terms of her manners, and she’s had form around some great fillies.
“Although she had to concede some weight to her opposition, we had a nice run in front, and her class shone through. She was fantastic.”