As
a half-sister to dual Group I winner Fiveandahalfstar by champion sire Fastnet
Rock, this three year-old filly was an obvious choice as the ‘One to Watch’ on
Wednesday.
Trained by James Cummings, Word Games led all the way on heavy ground and
fought hard to the line to win the 1550 metre maiden by half length,
successfully coming back in trip from a last start second at Hawkesbury over
2000 metres.
"I watched the mile and a quarter run with Duncan Ramage at Hawkesbury and
we decided that she still had the sharpness to be coming back in distance and
running very well," Cummings said.
"She had the rail to follow today whereas at Hawkesbury she had to make
her run down the outside fence which is pretty hard for an inexperienced filly
like her to do.
"She's a half-sister to Fiveandahalfstar (VRC Derby & BMW winner) so
that metropolitan win on the board is very important."
Word Games was a $380,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Willow Park draft for
Duncan Ramage’s DGR Thoroughbreds and runs for a partnership of breeders who
include Matthew Sandblom in whose colours she runs.
Word Games is a full sister to Group I placed Wordplay and half-sister to $2.6
million earner Fiveandahalfstar being the fourth winner from Cryptic Miss.
The yearling full sister to Word Games was sold by Coolmore at the Magic
Millions National Yearling Sale on Tuesday fetching $350,000 to the bid of
Phoenix Thoroughbreds.
Cryptic Miss has a weanling filly to follow also by Fastnet Rock and will foal
to him again this spring.