Racing: Late entrant secures Slipper

Brett Prebble and Crystal Lily. Photo / Getty Images

It's the best A$150,000 ($195,352) David Moodie will ever spend, and it allowed him to literally gild the lily.

The late entry fee set Melbourne filly Crystal Lily on course to claim the A$3.5 million Golden Slipper, Australian racing's biggest dash for cash.

She secured the A$2 million first prize in world racing's richest race for 2-year-olds despite a wayward finishing bolt when racing "the wrong way round" at Sydney's Rosehill.

Crystal Lily, with Hong Kong-based jockey Brett Prebble struggling to straighten her up, won in the shadows of the grandstand from Decision Time, ridden by Craig Williams, and John Singleton's outsider More Strawberries, piloted by Damien Oliver.

Not even the erratic finish could stop the daughter of 2005 Slipper winner Stratum, who was always handily placed and burst clear at the 200m mark on Australian racing's richest day, with over A$7 million in prize money up for grabs.

"I couldn't even ride her out," Prebble said.

"I just had to sit there and keep her straight. She's got untapped ability."

Crystal Lily, trained at Flemington by Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra, only got into the Slipper field when Moodie forked out A$150,000 for the late fee after her win at Randwick three weeks ago.

"It's looking like a good investment now," Moodie said as he embraced his teary wife Jenny and three equally teary daughters Kate, 20, Victoria, 19, and Jessica, 15.

Another Victorian, Littorio, took out the A$2.25 BMW, the second biggest of five Group One races on the card.

Littorio, described as a "gentle giant" by jockey Craig Williams, sprang a major upset by registering his first win in 18 months.

The 5-year-old beat Auckland Cup winner Zavite by a neck with No Wine No Song a length away third.

The Chris Waller-trained Danleigh claimed his third Group One victory when he came with a late run to take out the George Ryder Stakes.

The 6-year-old gelding showed a great turn of foot in the straight to comfortably beat Dao Dao and New Zealander King Mufhasa.

The BMW victory was only Littorio's third win in 23 career starts but two of them have been in Group Ones.

The gelding hadn't won since taking out the Turnbull Stakes in October, 2008.Champion mare Typhoon Tracy cemented her claims for Horse of the Year when she claimed her fifth Group One victory, and her fourth on the trot, in Queen Of The Turf Stakes.

Ridden a treat by Luke Nolen, took her record to 10 wins and two placings from 13 starts for prizemoney of almost A$2 million.

- AAP