Always a standout in the parade ring, Skybird has the ability to back up her looks and kept her record at a perfect three for three in Saturday’s Group II Point Motors Fillies Classic (1600m) at Moonee Valley.
Ridden by Beau Mertens for Mitch Freedman, Skybird was taken back to last from an outside barrier.
Riding for luck, Mertens stuck to the fence rounding the home turn and needed to go around only the leader, Grinzinger Belle.
The strapping daughter of Exosphere defeated the Shamexpress filly Grinzinger Belle by a half-neck, with the Fastnet Rock filly Carina Queen three-quarters of a length back in third.
After making a winning career debut at Ballarat on September 22, Skybird was a facile winner over 1300m at Bendigo a fortnight later.
“He had to be patient, but before the race I told him we’ll leave it up to you. If you go inside them and try and get it done that way, so be it,” Freedman said.
“She’s pretty tractable and knows how to get through them.
“I thought Craig Williams (Broadcaster) and Mick Dee (Carina Queen) were the horses to try and get on the back of and pick our way that way. It turned out they were right in front of him.
“I walked the track earlier in the day, and I knew it was going to be tricky for her.
“It was a great ride. He (Mertens) can’t do much wrong for us at the moment.
“How good to get a winner on Cox Plate Day. We did it four years ago, and it's good to do it again.”
A $110,000 purchase for her trainer from the HP Thoroughbreds draft at the 2022 Inglis Classic yearling Sale, Highway Session, Skybird is the best of three winners from as many to race from the winning Wanted mare Real Desire.
A half-sister to stakes-placed winner Flying Along, Real Desire is out of a half-sister to Captain Bax and Snippets Lass, the dam of Snippets, Hinchinbrook, Viennese and Weiner, dam of G1 Epsom Handicap winner Rediener, and Royal Snippets, the granddam of Private Eye.
Flying Along has a yearling colt by Deep Field.
Skybird is the seventh stakes-winner for Oaklands Stud’s Group 1 winning Lonhro stallion Exosphere who stands for $6,600.
