Savvy Hallie confirmed her place among Sydney’s most promising fillies with a breakthrough black-type success in the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.

The Brad Widdup-trained three-year-old had been regarded as one of the better two-year-olds not to post a win, having run into high-class rivals such as Black Opal Stakes winner King Of Pop on debut before filling placings in the Baillieu (1400m) and Percy Sykes Stakes.

She finally shed her maiden at Newcastle on August 14 and backed up quickly to score in Saturday’s feature, much to the relief of her trainer. “We were meant to race at Kembla and we got the heavy 10. We didn’t go and the track looked alright,” Widdup said. “We waited until last week and ran her and then we had to back her up here, so big call. She was just brilliant. It’s great when they handle a track like this. Great call to run today so I will give them (her owners) a bit of credit there for once.”

Widdup suggested the Furious Stakes (1200m) in a fortnight will be her next target but expressed doubt about pushing her beyond that distance in the Princess series. “I think she is too brilliant to keep pushing out further. She did a good jump, 900 to 1200 today. We will probably aim up in a fortnight and then see how we go.”

Jay Ford, who partnered the $3.50 winner, said her professionalism was key. “She is a genuine Group horse every day of the week,” Ford said. “Hopefully as she furnishes and gets older she might take that next step again, but her tenacity and will to win, and just how genuine she is – she flies the machines, puts herself in a spot – so she gives herself every chance of success.”

Savvy Hallie scored by three-quarters of a length over Within The Law ($3.50), with Queen Of Clubs ($10) finishing strongly for third a further 2-3/4 lengths away. Trainer Gary Portelli was pleased with Queen Of Clubs’ performance and said she was likely to bypass the Furious Stakes in favour of stepping up to 1400m in the Tea Rose or Ming Dynasty.