Trainer Tim Clark expressed satisfaction after the Tulloch Lodge filly Low Key secured a victory at Rosehill, a welcome outcome following his initial disappointment with her first-up run.
The three-year-old started as the odds-on favourite but was narrowly beaten by Threads on the Kensington track. However, with Threads subsequently winning at Caulfield on Sunday and Low Key leading throughout Wednesday’s TAB Plate (1400m), the September 9 race is now shaping up as a credible form reference.
“I probably left the races the other day a little bit disappointed she did get beaten,” Clark stated.
“But looking back on it now after Threads has gone on and won a Saturday (class) race, albeit on a Sunday. It gave me a bit more confidence coming to today, knowing that form was really strong.
“She’d trained on well from her first-up run and it looked a lovely race for her.”
Low Key ($1.60 fav) was guided by Clark to the front and maintained her advantage into the home straight.
Despite tiring in the final stages, she had enough in reserve to hold off Sapphire Legend ($8.50) by a neck, with Iommi ($5.50) a further half-neck back in third.
Co-trainer Adrian Bott indicated that the filly’s slight fatigue in the closing stages was due to the increase in distance from 1150m to 1400m. He affirmed her talent and confirmed her progression towards the Group 3 Reginald Allen Quality (1400m) at Randwick on Everest day.
“There’s a nice three-year-old fillies race over 1400 metres over the carnival for a filly like her that I think will be a nice, natural progression,” Bott explained.
“It was great to see her get the job done today because I think she deserves her crack at that level.
“She might have just been out on her feet there late with that step up in trip. There was a little bit of early pressure there which she was able to withstand.
“Now, having that nice foundation and that run at the 1400 will set her up really well to take the step into that company.”
The daughter of Pinatubo, out of the five-time winner Really Discreet, was acquired for $280,000 as a yearling.
Consider the online bookmakers for placing bets on the upcoming Reginald Allen Quality.