The Tim Martin trained Fibrillation showed that she was not just a wet tracker when she took out the Group 3 $125,000 De Bortoli Wines Epona Stakes (1900m) at Rosehill today.
Fibrillation was coming off a last start win at Randwick two weeks ago on a slow track but was sent out at the good odds of $13 with many punters thinking she was only at her best on rain affected surfaces.
Brenton Avdulla was able to give the mare a cosy run from a wide barrier and coming to home turn eased her to the outside giving her a clear run to the line.
Fibrillation was then able to hold off the finishing effort of $3.60 favourite Crafty Irna with the Gai Waterhouse trained Once Were Wild regaining some of her best form for third.
“She did a good job. Tim was confident, a little bit more confident than me,” Avdulla said.
“I wasn’t sure how she would handle it today. I’ve had the one ride on her on a good track at Warwick Farm, and that was towards the end of her prep, she never travelled for me. I knew cantering to the barriers today she was spot on. I lobbed in a nice spot and got a nice run.”
Martin wasn’t surprised to see his mare race well coming back to a good track and said the trick to her was keeping her on the fresh side.
“She is good on wet tracks. We’ve had seven month of rain, the tracks aren’t that hard,” Martin said.
“She’s always good her first few runs and we will freshen her up and go again.”