After letting her supporters down at her first three starts, the Impending filly Fly Nice became the fifth first crop winner for Impending when consenting to put her best hoof forward in the S & S Equipment Hire Maiden Plate (1000m) Plate at Moe on Thursday.
Ridden by Ethan Brown for Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Fly Nice sat outside the pacesetting Roaring Miss, and the pair settled down to fight out the finish.
Fly Nice gradually wore down Roaring Miss (Siyouni) to win by a length with a further neck back to Cosmic Aura (Duporth) in third.
Fly Nice carried stable support when unplaced in the Magic Millions at Ballarat and again when over ten lengths adrift of champion 2yo elect, Fireburn, at Randwick.
Off the scene for twenty-four weeks, the daughter of Impending was sent out favourite in a 1000m maiden at Bendigo on June 4, clocking in third behind Penultimate One (Redente).
“Ethan gave her a tremendous ride. We were worried about the barrier, but she pinged out and got into a lovely position without doing too much work,” stable representative Wayne Bolton said.
“We thought she was a very nice filly, but she was just a little weak, so we decided to back off her and start fresh again.
“Hopefully, we reap the rewards of that and give her a shot in town.”
Brown said the daughter of Impending relished the heavy 9.
‘We drew a bit sticky, but she is very professional and showed good gate speed,” Brown said.
“She was a bit fierce early, but once with came within half s length or s length of Jye (McNeil on Roaring Miss), she relaxed well and when I ask she gave an effort.
“She has a beautiful action and feels like she will get further in time, although I would like to see her relax better.
“She is still a touch green; she shied at the winning post, but there is plenty of upside.”
A $70,000 purchase for Ciaron Maher Bloodstock from the Newhaven Park draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Fly Nice is the second foal and first runner for the More Than Eady (USA) mare Sparkle.
Carrying the Newhaven Park colours, Sparkle won on debut at Warwick Farm in an eleven-start career.
She is a daughter of the crack Redoute’s Choice mare Gallica whose six wins include the Group 1 MRC Thousand Guineas and Group 1 SAJC Schweppes Oaks.
Sparkle has a yearling filly and weanling filly by Written By and was covered by Cool Aza Beel last spring.
In addition to his five winners, Impending has a promising prospect in Moko, who was runner-up in the Group III ATC Baillieu Hcp and Listed Fernhill Hcp and third in the Listed VATC Merson Cooper Stakes.
Darley Stud’s Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap winner Impending (Lonhro) stands at a fee of $22,000 at Northwood Park in 2022.
