The $200,000 Group III MRC Quezette Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday drew a competitive field of up and coming fillies, but the cream rose to the top when Zousain filly Drifting carried top weight of 58kg to victory.
Trained by Peter Snowden, Drifting won on debut in February and swiftly progressed into stakes company with a win in the Group III ATC Magic Night Stakes crediting her sire Zousain with his first stakes-winner.
The speedy chestnut looked sharp in a recent barrier trial in Sydney and took that form to Melbourne where she led all the way for Blake Shinn and kicked on to the line to win by half a length. Best of the rest was the late closing Tasmanian filly Geegees Mistruth, who lost her undefeated tag, but showed her ability to measure up to mainland Black Type racing which is sure to delight her connections.
“She’s very talented and was able to get from a maiden at Hawkesbury to where she could have run in the Golden Slipper as she won one of the lead ups to it,” said Peter Snowden.
“I just like her attitude, she has really good gate speed and she’ll come back under you and go at any speed you want, then gives a good kick. They are good attributes to have and 1200m is not a problem, so there are lots of races for her and I’ll be very selective where we run her.”
A $160,000 Inglis Classic purchase from Murrulla Stud for Snowden Racing / William Johnson Bloodstock, Drifting runs for a big group of happy owners including the Snowden family and has won three of five starts earning in excess of $320,000 in prizemoney.
Bred by Baddock Bloodstock, Drifting is the third winner from three foals to race from Backpacker Express, a half-sister by Big Brown (USA) to Group II winning filly Downhill Racer from the family of Group II winner Schubert.
Backpacker Express was bought by Murrulla Stud at the 2022 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for just $20,000, so is looking like an absolute bargain! She had a filly by Heroic Valour last spring and is now in foal to Profiteer.
Murrulla Stud offered the full sister to Drifting at the Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale, but she passed in shy of her $100,000 reserve.
Drifting is the first stakes-winner of the new season for Zoustar’s Group II winning son Zousain, who has had great support in his first four seasons at Widden Stud and is priced at $27,500 this spring.
