The 3-year-old filly Escarpa made a winning debut in the Apiam Animal Health Maiden Plate (1000m) at Bendigo on Thursday to credit the multiple Group II winner and $1,180,000 earner Cliff's Edge with his first winner.
Ridden by Craig Williams for Greg Eurell, Escarpa took a step back at the start and drifted back to second last. Williams elected to ride for luck in the straight and Escarpa scythed through runners like a seasoned professional to defeat the fast-finishing Per Incanto (USA) filly Enchanted Jenni by three-quarters of a length with the Omaha Beach (USA) filly Coastal Abbey back in third.
Greg Eurell bred Escarpa out of his talented mare Great Dame (Danerich).
A three-quarter sister to the 5-time winner Great Duchess and half to stakes-placed Prowling, Escarpa is the fourth winner from five to race for Great Dame, a winner at Flemington and Stony Creek and fourth in the Group III The Vanity, behind Shopaholic, Mosheen and Angel of Mercy, in a four-start career.
Great Dame has a yearling filly by Ilovethiscity and was bred back to him last spring.
Escarpa is the first winner from three runners for the Bombora Downs stallion Cliff’s Edge, whose son Just Cliffy has been runner-up in four of his six starts and was a close-up fourth at his most recent start at Doomben.
A winner at two, three, and four and twice a Group II runner-up at five, the tough-as-teak son of Canford Cliffs had 24 foals in his first crop.
From the international family of champion mare All Along, Cliff’s Edge stands this season at Bombora Downs for $3,300.
