Talented filly Perignon stormed home in the final stages of the race to take out the 2016 Light Fingers Stakes at Royal Randwick this afternoon.
Perignon finished over the top of her rivals to record an impressive victory in the 2016 Light Fingers Stakes. Photo by: Steve Hart
Perignon was settled towards the tail of the field by jockey Tim Clark in the early stages of the Light Fingers Stakes, while Harlem River took up the running from Tempt Me Not and Kangarilla Joy.
The leading trio looked as though they were going to fight out the finish and Kangarilla Joy hit the front at the 75 metre mark, but Perignon leapt out of the ground in the final 100 metres and he swooped all three of her rivals to record a very impressive win.
Gerald Ryan stable representative Sterling Alexio was thrilled to see Perignon record just the second win of her racing career and he confirmed that the Snitzel filly will press on to the Group 2 Surround Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on February 27 before potentially taking on the older mares in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 12.
“She has done a terrific job all her preparations and she has been unlucky in a lot of Group races and the Magic Millions,” Alexio said.
“It is good to get a big win next to her name.
“Obviously the normal plain will be to step through the fillies series and maybe onto the Coolmore, but at the end of last prep Hugh Bowman wasn’t really sold on her running a solid mile.
“We will just let her tell us.”
Kanagrilla Joy had the fitness edge over her rivals ahead of the Light Fingers Stakes and that looked like it would be a difference maker in the concluding stages, but she was no match for a flying Perignon.
Tempt Me Not and Harlem River both produced solid performances in their first starts of their 2016 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival and will likely press on to the Surround Stakes.
Stay With Me started the Light Fingers Stakes as favourite following the scratching of Ghisoni, but she was given very little chance to win by jockey Kerrin McEvoy.
McEvoy elected to pull Stay With Me back to the tail of the field and he constantly restrained the horse as she over raced be, but she was still able to work home strongly and her final 200 metres was very impressive.
