My Poppette justified the heavy support in betting to lead from start to finish in the 2015 Fillies Classic at Moonee Valley this afternoon.
Jockey Mark Zahra elected to take up the running on My Poppette in the early stages of the Fillies Classic and he was able to dictate the race on the talented filly before she raced away from her rivals to record a very comfortable win from Bengal Cat and Thames Court.
Zahra was always confident that My Poppette would be able to return to winning form in the Fillies Classic and he paid tribute to the decision of trainer Robert Smerdon to bypass the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) and target the Fillies Classic as her 2015 Spring Racing Carnival Grand Final.
“I have to pay credit to Robert and the owners, they said we aren’t good enough to for the Thousand Guineas, so he has targeted this race, which can be an afterthought for a lot of other horses,” Zahra said.
“I knew that she was absolutely spot-on, there didn’t look to be a lot of speed and I was able to dictate and she won really well.
“She was able to relax in front and from the half mile to the 600 I just increased and increased and the way she quickened I thought that there can’t be much coming for me now.”
Smerdon won the Fillies Classic 12 months ago with Lumosty and the veteran trainer was clearly thrilled to win the race for the second year in a row.
Lumosty stepped up to 2500 metres for the Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m) at Flemington after her Fillies Classic win, but Smerdon confirmed that was not an option for My Poppette and he said that the Snippetson filly could head to the spelling paddock.
“She has a lot ahead of her,” Smerdon said.
“She is a sound filly with a lot of ability and I think after a break she will be an even better filly.
“I will have to speak to connections, James Harron planned this as a bit of a Grand Final for her, and she may go to the paddock from here.
“We will just wait and see and think about it after today.”
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