A long-awaited win by Aerobatics has the filly on track to fulfil her potential this autumn.
The three-year-old was rated among Darley Australia’s leading juveniles last season but she was highly strung and wayward and failed to reach the heights of her Group One winning stablemates Sepoy, Helmet and Benfica.
Trainer Peter Snowden and his team have put a lot of work into helping her relax and it paid off at Rosehill where she took out Saturday’s TAB Number 1 Club (1100m).
With La Remlap ($5) setting up a solid pace, Aerobatics ($6.50) was midfield and came out of the pack in the straight.
She powered home to beat La Remlap by three-quarters of a length with topweight Kimillsy ($20) another 1-1/2 lengths third and favourite Didntcostalot ($1.90) fourth.
“She has really come on this time,” foreman Brad Widdup said.
“Peter has a really high opinion of her but it has been a question of maturity.
“She needed the win because she has to learn to race properly and this is a step in the right direction.
“I think she will be kept to the shorter races for the time being.”
The filly won on debut as an early two-year-old in November 2010 but her best effort in another six starts before Saturday was third in the Magic Night Stakes last year.
Aerobatics is a half-sister to Alverta whose best form was late in her career when she won the 2010 Coolmore Classic as a six-year-old and ran third in the July Cup at Newmarket that year.
“Alverta took time although I think she may have had a few problems early,” Widdup said.
“But this filly has grown enormously and will only get better as she develops.”
Kimillsy’s third was an encouraging sign for the Kim Waugh-trained mare whose career has been beset by injury.