The Mick Stanley stable rolled out another impressive two-year-old debutant while claiming a winning double at Tabcorp Park Melton on Saturday night.
Two weeks after Soho Lanikai turned heads with a brilliant 65m success at his first run, stablemate Soho Almasi starred with a 20m triumph in the Allied Express 2YO Classic (1720m) for fillies.
The horse was barely troubled on her way to victory in a mile rate of 1:56.3 and plans are now there to take her to Sydney for the Group 2 Pink Bonnet Stakes next weekend.
“She was a filly that I saw at the sales and she was a big lump of a filly. I didn’t have her marked down, but when I walked past her she caught my eye and I thought she looked too good to be no good so I bought her,” Stanley, the trainer and driver, said.
“She hasn’t put a foot wrong. For a Mach Three, she’s a beautiful relaxed filly, got great manners and a great deal of ability.
“Twelve months ago (owner) Rob (Watson) said I was a bad judge and I wasn’t allowed to buy any, but this year I bought Soho Lanikai and her so hopefully I’ve justified my eye.”
Soho Almasi, which is out of Fususi, was purchased for $25,000 at the Sydney APG sales last year.
Stanley was back in the winner’s enclosure a short time later when American Zest won the Schweppes Pace (2240m, NR 70-79).
With Stanley again at the controls, he came with a three-wide run in the last lap to score victory over Glenn Douglas-trained Wotchawaitingfor.
It was American Zest’s first win since December last year and his 11th in a career spanning 46 starts.
The features on Saturday night were the Jack Collins Memorial Pace (2240m, NR 80-94) and the Allied Express Ian Daff Memorial (1720m, mares NR 70-99) and they were won by Ross Graham-trained Animated and Margaret Lee’s Keayang Liberty respectively.
Kate Gath shared driving honours with Stanley after she also scored a winning double.
Gath partnered Peter Thompson-trained Ymbro Wasted to take out the Alderbaran Park Vicbred Trot (2240m, NR 70-85) and Beefour Bacardi, trained by her husband Andy, to prevail in the TAB Multiplier Trot (1720m, NR 52-61).
Racing returns to Melton on Saturday for a huge night of action that includes four Group 1 events.
-Tim O’Connor
