Exciting filly Badawiya has stamped herself as a serious 2015 Crown Oaks prospect at Flemington this afternoon; producing a particularly impressive final straight sprint to take out the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m).
Badawiya claimed an impressive win in the Edward Manifold Stakes. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos
Badawiya continued to firm in betting markets in the hours leading up to the Edward Manifold Stakes and did her chances absolutely no harm when jumping well and settling within the capacity field of 16, slightly better than mid-pack.
Settling into a good rhythm over the back straight and approaching the turn, Badawiya allowed early leaders Air Apparent, Pearl Star and Sailing By to set a reasonable tempo rounding onto the final straight, and jockey Damien Oliver allowed the filly plenty of time to balance before mounting her impressive assault 300m from the post.
Comfortably reaching the lead pack, Badawiya continued to step up in gear and opened a comfortably three length gap upon hitting the line for a third-career win ahead of Sacred Eye and My Poppette.
Oliver delivered a gem of a ride aboard the Al Maher filly in the Edward Manifold Stakes and is confident the three-year-old will continue to improve leading into major Group 1 targets.
“She’s a nice filly this, really impressed me today,” Oliver said.
“Settled mid-field, good position and relaxed really well. She showed some really nice acceleration when I asked her to in the straight.
“She beat a horse I ran second on last start and she won well. Any time the fillies can beat the boy’s you’ve got to take notice.
“The way she did it today, she’s only going to get better.”
Mick Price was pleased with Badawiya’s win in the Edward Manifold Stakes, and confirmed the team now has a big decision to make as to whether or not she will contest next weekend’s Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m).
“She had a lovely run in the race there and it is an Edward Manifold, so it’s great,” Price said after the race.
“I suppose there’s pressure now over the next six days to say if she goes to the Thousand Guineas now with her or not.
“It is a Group 1 I suppose and you’re not going to get a lot of opportunities for her, so we’ll just have to see how the next six days unfold.
“She’s a very lightly-framed filly who tucks up, and I don’t know where she gets all her energy from but that’s just her.
“She’s probably only 420kgs, she’s a little mouse of a thing but just has a huge motor.”
Badawiya has firmed into 2015 Thousand Guineas odds of $8 with Ladbrokes Australia following this afternoon’s success in the Edward Manifold Stakes.
