A year after scoring her biggest win in controversial circumstances in the Group Two Sunline Stakes at Moonee Valley Spirit Song returned to put the record straight.
“There’s no argument about tonight,” said trainer Aaron Purcell after his mare added the race to her record for a second time.
Last year’s Sunline Stakes was Spirit Song’s most recent win, but Purcell had little concern about the long absence from the winning list.
“This was her goal for this campaign, the race we’d set her for,” he said.
Spirit Song ($2.90 fav)cleared out to win by 1-1/2 lengths from the Caulfield Cup placegetter Lights Of Heaven with Goldslick ($31) a further neck away in third place.
On the same night 12 months ago Spirit Song crossed the line in second place behind the Tasmanian mare Lady Lynette who, in her final race start, appeared to have gone out in a blaze of glory.
But jockey Nash Rawiller spoiled the party, lodging a successful protest that gave SPirit Song the win.
While she hadn’t won another race since, Spirit Song had been building steadily toward Friday night’s victory.
Purcell knew two weeks ago at Flemington that the mare was on track for the repeat when she finished a close second in the Schweppes Stakes, a race she had also won a year ago.
“It’s her time of the year,” said winning rider Craig Williams.
“That was a dominant win that was thoroughly deserved.”
Purcell will now take aim at the Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on April 6.