Team Snowden-trained Flippant stamped herself as a horse to watch with a smart victory in the 2015 Woodlands Stakes at Scone this afternoon.
Flippant was far too strong for his rivals in the 2015 Woodlands Stakes. Photo by: Steve Hart
Flippant was heavily backed in the lead-up to the Woodlands Stakes and she started the race as a clear $3.40 favourite and favourite backers never looked like losing their money after jockey Hugh Bowman took Flippant straight to the lead in the early stages of the race.
The Hinchinbrook filly responded well when she was asked for an extra effort by Bowman at the top of the straight and she quickly put a gap on the rest of the field before she was eased down by the leading hoop in the final 100 metres of the race to record a very soft victory from Harlem River and Miss Antaeus.
Flippant made her racing debut with a dominant four and a half lengths victory in the Greg Cribb Memorial Red Crown Handicap (900m) at Muswellbrook on March 3 and she was only narrowly beaten in the TAB Rewards Handicap (1000m) at Warwick Farm on March 25.
The two-year-old chased home the highly rated Sempre Libera in the McGrath Estate Agents Handicap (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on April 1 and she stamped herself as a leading contender for the Woodlands Stakes with a strong victory in a barrier trial over 740 metres at Royal Randwick on May 8.
Flippant is set to head to the Queensland for the 2015 Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival and she will likely have her next race start in the Listed Lancaster Stakes (1200m) at Doomben on Stradbroke Handicap Day.
Well-bred Harlem River was a drifter heading into the Woodland Stakes, but the Gai Waterhouse-trained filly hit the line strongly in the final stages of the race to finish a promising second.
Harlem River was purchased for $180,000 by Coolmore at the 2014 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale and she showed that she was ready for her racing debut when she took out a barrier trial over 733 metres at Royal Randwick on March 16 and a trial over 1050 metres at Royal Randwick on May 8.
Godolphin galloper Seagrove was one of the best-backed runners in the lead-up to the race after she trialed well behind Braemar over 808 metres at Warwick Farm on May 11, but she did plenty wrong throughout the Woodlands Stakes and she was never able to get into the race.
