Bookmakers reacted quickly to the victory of Godolphin's
Exceed And Excel filly Ottoman in Saturday's Tab Place Multi Plate (1100m) at
Rosehill gardens promoting her to the top line of betting in the Golden
Slipper.
Making her career debut, Ottoman jumped awkwardly before
receiving a squeeze that saw her ahead of just two of the 13 starters in the
early stages.
Angled out to the centre of the track by James McDonald,
Ottoman showed an impressive turn of foot but her run looked to have peeked inside
the 100 metres.
The David Hayes and Tom Dabernig-trained Miss Idyllic was
keeping up a strong gallop but Ottoman was not to be denied, getting by a head
from Miss Idyllic to give Exceed And Excel the quinella, with Street Cry colt Pride
Of Dubai grabbing third to give Darley stallions a 1-2-3 finish.
The Golden Slipper has a new favourite in Ottoman after the
Godolphin filly produced a big finale to win the Rosehill opener on Saturday.
There were some nervous moments for punters who took the
short odds but a devastating sprint sealed a successful debut by the daughter
of Exceed And Excel.
A slow getaway from the barriers and a check soon after had
Ottoman (pictured Steve Hart) placed precariously in third last position during the run.
Approaching the turn, jockey James McDonald navigated towards
the outside and gave full rein to his mount. The filly quickly rounded up the
field with the exception of the David Hayes and Tom Dabernig-trained Miss
Idyllic which showed admirable fight in the straight, only to go down by a
head.
Three-quarters of a length away in third position was the
Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Pride Of Dubai.
"She's always shown that she's got the right qualities
and she had to draw on them today," Godolphin representative Darren Beadman
said.
"It was quite a nervous moment for the first furlong
and a half but James didn't panic and just tried to get the horse into a
rhythm.
"He just let the filly do the work and get into her
gears and she's always shown a lot of potential and today she had to dig deep.
"She got past the main bunch pretty easy, they didn't
go overly hard in front so she had to dig deep over the last 100 metres."
"She's always shown she's got the right qualities and she
had to call on them today."
Bred by Darley, Ottoman is the first foal of the two time
winning Elusive Quality mare Byzantine a half-sister to five time Group I
winner Mummify.
Byzantine is also a sister to Shabtis the dam of Take Pride
who had the honour of becoming the first winner for Blue Diamond Stakes winner
Reward For Effort when successful at Seymour on Thursday. Read about her here.
Reward For Effort is a son of Ottoman's sire Exceed And
Excel.
Byzantine was purchased by Darley for $140,000 from the
Redman Park consignment at the 2008 Inglis Easter Australian Easter Yearling
sale.
She has a yearling colt by Reset and on September 25 foaled
a full-brother to Ottoman.
