Chabaud Too Strong In South Australian Fillies Classic

Chabaud returned to winning form with a tough staying performance in the 2016 South Australian Fillies Classic at Morphettville this afternoon.

Chabaud was well-backed in the lead-up to the South Australian Fillies Classic and jockey Dwayne Dunn had punters that backed the Lookin At Lucky filly smiling when he settled her just behind the leaders in the early stages of the race.

Ashley Marie led from the outset at the South Australian Fillies and she kicked away from the rest of the field at the top of the straight, but Chabaud was able to wear her down in the final 300 metres and found the line strongly to record another black-type victory.

Chabaud started her campaign way back in January at Mornington and she produced credible performance at Sandown and Caulfield before she took out the Hill Handicap (2040m) at Moonee Valley on February 5.

Trainer Robert Smerdon elected to send her to Launceston for the Listed Tasmanian Oaks (2100m) on February 21 and she upset Gai Waterhouse-trained Sweet Redemption to record a maiden win at black-type level.

Chabaud was slightly flat in the Noel Rundle Handicap (2000m) at Caulfield on March 26 before she made her Group 1 debut with a more than credible fifth in the Australian Oaks (2400m) at Royal Randwick on April 9 and she had a tune-up for the South Australian Fillies Classic in the Mother’s Day Handicap (2000m) at Flemington on May 7.

Ashlee Marie toughed it out to the line to finish second in what was arguably the best performance of her racing career to date.

The daughter of Face Value promised a lot as a young horse and she finished eighth behind Press Statement in the Group 1 JJ Atkins (1600m) last year, but she has been slightly inconsistent as a three-year-old and this was her first race start at Group level since she finished tenth in the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 31.

The placings were rounded out by Darren Weir-trained High Lago, who was having just the seventh race start of her career.

High Lago has only recorded the one race win – when she took out the Fishers Supa IGA Maiden Plate (1600m) at Stawell on March 27 – but she performed well in the Ludeman Real Estate Handicap (2000m) at Warrnambool on May 5 and the George Dore Handicap (2000m) at Pakenham on May 15.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.