Classy filly Thump produced a brave front-running effort to upset Miracles Of Life and win the Group 3 Champagne Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley.
Thump recorded an impressive win in the Champagne Stakes at Moonee Valley this evening. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Thump was taken straight to the lead by Craig Williams and the leading jockey did a brilliant job stacking up the rest of the field behind him before pinching a break coming around the final bend with 250 meters left to run.
Miracles Of Life loomed up on the outside and had every chance to win but was unable to catch the Patinack Farm-owned filly who recorded her second victory at Group level this campaign after she won the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Warwick Farm first-up.
Trainer John Thompson was delighted with the win and was quick to pay credit to the excellent ride from Williams.
“As I said before the race he is the best,” Thompson said.
“He is a good tactician and he came out and summed it up, stacked them up and pinched a break coming around the corner which was perfect for her.
“We were confident coming here that this track would suit her the way that she races.”
Thompson said that Thump will remain in Melbourne for the rest of her 2013 Spring Racing Carnival campaign and is eyeing the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m), a race that he won with Nechita last year, as the major target for the Red Ransom filly this preparation.
“We will keep poking along and keep her to the 1200s,” Thompson said.
“We will take it one step at a time and see how she pulls up.
“Maybe pie in the sky stuff like the Coolmore up the straight.”
Miracles Of Life was far from disgraced in second place and trainer Daniel Clarken said that he was very happy with the effort; confirming that the Blue Diamond winner would push on to the Blue Sapphire Stakes at Caulfield on October 13.
“She went super, I am really happy with her,” Clarken said.
“The winner is obviously a fair horse so she has gone super.
“She got in behind them and had to do a little bit more work than Lauren probably wanted to but she has gone enormous.
“We will keep going towards the Blue Sapphire.
“We will give her the run there and work it out from that.”
The 2012 edition of the Champagne Stakes was a key form race for the remainder of the Spring Racing Carnival; with Snitzerland going on to win the Blue Sapphire and finish second in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) after taking out the Group 3 event.
