Talented Queensland filly Miss Cover Girl led from start to finish to record the biggest win of her racing career to date in the 2015 PJ Bell Stakes at Royal Randwick this afternoon.
Miss Cover Girl held-off Peeping to record a tough win in the 2015 PJ Bell Stakes. Photo by: Steve Hart
Jockey Glen Boss surprisingly elected to take up the running on Miss Cover Girl in the early stages of the PJ Bell Stakes, but the decision of the leading hoop paid dividends when the three-year-old kicked strongly at the 250 metre mark to record an impressive victory from a brave Peeping and Godolphin filly Matilija.
Trainer Kelly Schweida admitted after the race that he was not particularly confident when Boss took Miss Cover Girl to the lead in the early stages of the Bell Stakes, but he was thrilled that the three-year-old was able to record a maiden win at stakes level.
“I think that Glen wanted to be fourth or fifth one off and obviously there wasn’t much speed on,” Schweida said.
“We were bit shattered because she had a week off after her last run and when you train them, you train them for dry tracks, so we freshened her right up.
“It is normally not her go to lead, she normally gets back, but we will take it.
“We were worried that not many backmarkers were winning, so we left it up to Glen and that is why he is such a good rider.”
Boss was having his first ride on Miss Cover Girl and he revealed after the race that he was surprised that the Monashee Mountain filly was able to take up the running in the early stages of the PJ Bell Stakes.
The leading hoop was quick to pay credit to the brave effort of Miss Cover Girl and was delighted with the toughness she showed in the final stages of the Group 3 event.
“I thought she was really brave this filly,” Boss said.
“She is a filly that is normally a little bit slow out and gets back in her races as you see with her pattern in the race book, but with the pattern of the race today I didn’t see much speed and when she jumped well I was just going to let her control it for me and I was surprised when we led.
“We weren’t going super quick, but she is a winner and when I got to the rise I was still going alright and I thought that is going to come into play right now because she is a winner.
“I thought she was very strong.”
Boss will have the opportunity to record another win on the opening day of The Championships when he takes the ride on Kermadec in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m).
