The 2016 Oakleigh Plate is now the target for speedy filly Heatherly who outclassed her rivals to score a runaway win in the Group 2 $200,000 Schweppes Rubiton Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield today.
Heatherly will now chase the Oakleigh Plate after winning the Rubiton Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Heatherly ($5 favourite) completed a winning hat trick when Katelyn Mallyon let her dictate the race from her familiar spot in front before scorching away in the straight to register a five and half lengths win over Group 1 winner Politeness ($6).
The outsider of the field Just A Bullet ($101) raced on the pace and hung on third.
“We have got her pretty right, it showed today,” winning co-trainer Matthew Ellerton said.
“Got to have shot sooner or later and she took good improvement from Flemington a fortnight ago.”
“We purposely went a month between runs to deepen her campaign. She has been in work a while and hope we can go another fortnight.”
The Group 1 $500,000 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield in a fortnight is next on the agenda for Heatherly with Ellerton pointing out that three year old fillies have a good record in the Caulfield Autumn Carnival feature sprint.
“Three year old fillies haven’t got a bad record in it (Oakleigh Plate), all being well that is the way she will head,” Ellerton said.
The Robert Smerdon trained Politeness was having her first run since running second in the Group 1 $1m Emirates Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on November 7 and after jumping with the field, settled midfield, before running on fairly in the straight.
Heatherly has been working her way up through the grades and was a winner three starts back at Moonee Valley in a 1000m BenchMark 78 Handicap on January 2 before winning a three year Plate over 1100m down the Flemington straight on January 30.
