Justify Filly Books Her Ticket to G1 Stradbroke
A winner of four from six, three victories at stakes level, the Toby Edmonds and Stephen McLean trained Spicy Martini (3f Justify x Extra Olives, by Redoute’s Choice) will now head to the $3million Group I BRC Stradbroke after winning the $300,000 Group III Fred Best Classic (1350m) at Doomben on Wednesday.
After persistent rain last Saturday, the decision was made to postpone the final four races of the meeting with the Fred Best Classic moved to Wednesday and the remainder to be run this Saturday.
Disappointing last time out in the Group III Gold Coast Guineas run on a very heavy track where she started second favourite off the back of victory in the Listed BRC Mick Dittman Plate, Spicy Martini was expected to do better this time around with firmer footing.
Ridden forward by Craig Williams to settle fourth, she was strong to the line coming with a well timed run to snatch a long head win over expensive colt Media World taking her overall earnings past $500,000.
Toby Edmonds is now hoping to progress to the Stradbroke next Saturday where the filly will carry just 49.5kg.
Craig Williams feels the confidence of today’s win will clearly give the filly another boost heading into the Group I assignment.
“Toby presented her really well with his team," said Williams.
"Everyone that's in this race today had the challenge of being there on Saturday and coming back here today. It’s a great initiative by Queensland Racing to make sure they can program it so their horse here is exempt from ballot for the Stradbroke."
“So Toby and his team have 10 days to get her there in good form. She's a good, tough horse with no weight, makes her own luck. So she's definitely going there with a realistic chance.”
Bred at Coolmore, Spicy Martini was purchased for just $8,000 through Inglis Digital Online and is the first stakes-winner among four winners from stakes-placed Redoute’s Choice mare Extra Olives, a grand-daughter of Champion Filly Alinghi, a four time Group I winner.
Coolmore sold a weanling colt by Home Affairs from Extra Olives at the 2024 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale for $260,000 and Extra Olives produced another filly last spring by Home Affairs before going to St Mark’s Basilica.
While Justify is not returning to Australia, his champion son City of Troy will be highly anticipated in the Hunter Valley this spring with the Epsom Derby winner priced at $49,500.
Justify will be available in Kentucky for Southern Hemisphere time matings.