Racing: Filly rocks the boat in Guineas

Acaldesa hit the line strongly to beat Perfect Harmonee by half a head with Lucky Edie, who led 200 metres out, finishing third. Photo / iStock

Alcaldesa floored punters yesterday when she shed her maiden tag with a boilover win in the Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas.

The outsider of the field turned the form book upside down with her late lunge for victory at the expense of the local hope Perfect Harmonee and the favourite Lucky Edie.

The result continued the excellent Guineas run of Alcaldesa's co-breeder, part-owner and trainer Tony Bambry.

"She's a half-sister to Lord Turbo, who won the race two years ago, and it's a race we've targeted," he said. "It's on our back doorstep."

Bambry also produced another filly in Acquisto, a maiden at the time, to finish third at long odds in the feature 12 months ago.

Alcaldesa also credited both her rider Leah Hemi and the three-year-old's group one winning sire Nom Du Jeu with their first black type victories. "Leah did a great job and the further this horse goes the better she will be " she's an Oaks filly," Bambry said.

Acaldesa hit the line strongly to beat Perfect Harmonee by half a head with Lucky Edie, who led 200 metres out, finishing third.

Meanwhile Secret Spirit added the Listed O'Leary's Fillies' Stakes to her record at Wanganui yesterday.

The mare has three consecutive black type victories to her credit on heavy tracks and overcame rain-affected going to win the Great Northern Foal Stakes and the Ryder Stakes at Listed level last season.

"She will be better suited to the better footing,"regular rider Craig Grylls said. "She's not very big, but she's got a big ticker and is just so honest."

Trained by Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott, Secret Spirit settled off a strong early pace before she was flushed out when improving on the home turn.

"She was dipping in the ground at the 600 and to her credit she got out to the better ground and she really stormed home," Scott said.

The daughter of Swiss Ace came with a powerful finishing run to win by a widening two and three quarter lengths from New York Minute while the maiden Keepelo made ground along the fence to take third off her stablemate Heart Of Th'Castle.

Secret Spirit hadn't run since she claimed the Ryder Stakes in July.

- NZ Racing Desk