A Redoute's Choice quinella and a record eighth Group III WA Oaks (2400m) win for owner Bob Peters as Very Tempting defeated her better-fancied stablemate Royal Star at Ascot on Saturday.
Chris Parnham made first run on Very Tempting to take over coming around the home turn. She was followed through by Willie Pike on odds-on favourite Royal Star and the two singled out for a dramatic finish with Very Tempting bravely holding on to win by a head. Sakhee's Secret filly Just Like Fire was four lengths back in third.
"It turned out a bit like last year when First Impressions beat Arcadia Dream who was a short-priced favourite," winning owner Bob Peters said.
"Chris seized the initiative. I thought he may have gone early, but it worked out well."
In earning her first stakes win, Very Tempting advanced her record to 3 wins, 1 second and 2 thirds from 9 starts with earnings of $191,050.
The Grant and Alana Williams-trained Very Tempting (pictured as a yearling) was consigned by Vinery Stud to the 2015 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling sale where she was knocked down to the Belmont Bloodstock Agency, on behalf of Peters, for $420,000.
She is the first foal of the Sydney winning More Than Ready (USA) mare Fit And Ready a half-sister to Group I Golden Slipper Stakes winner Catbird and the Group II Pago Pago Stakes winner Danbird.
Fit And Ready is closely related to Listed Bernborough Handicap winner Centre Pivot who is by More Than Ready out of Zabeel mare Waterwise who is a daughter of Fit And Ready's half-sister Sprinkler.
Fit And Ready's All Too Hard colt made $460,000 to the bid of Hawkes Racing at this year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling sale.
After slipping to Redoute's Choice in 2015, Fit And Ready was covered by All Too Hard last spring.
Very Tempting becomes the 143rd stakes winner for Arrowfield Stud's Redoute's Choice who has 33 yearlings heading to the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling sale beginning on Tuesday (View them here)
