Racing
Blue Door opens career with tough Kindergarten win
There had to be a story behind the naming of Blue Door, impressive debut winner of the Group 3 $250,000 Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Blue Door is by Stay Inside out of Notting Hill which owner John Singleton revealed became the source of the filly's name.
"My daughter, Jess, was living at Notting Hill in London and I went to visit here last year,'' Singleton told Racing And Sports.
"I noticed all the doors in her street were painted blue and when Jess went out, I thought why not paint her door red.
"But when Jess came home, she wasn't happy and suspected it was me. So, I had to have the door painted blue again.''
Blue Door ($4.40), who Singleton races in partnership with daughter, scored a tough debut win by a half neck from the unlucky, fast-finishing The Next Episode ($2.80 favourite) with Under Focus ($5.50) a length away third.
It was some training effort by Bjorn Baker who gave Blue Door only one barrier trial over 900m before sending her straight to a Group 3 race on debut.
"We don't often ask a two-year-old to go straight into a stakes race on debut but she's very good,'' Baker said of Blue Door.
"They don't often trial like that, as the punters' will know, and I like them to me there and have a raceday test, we make no secret of that, but the way she did it and the time she ran, she looked to have plenty left.
"She's shown exceptional ability since we've had her. She was a great trial winner and great to win for Singo and the team.
"I'm not sure if he'll shout the bar today, but I'm going to make the most of it."
Jockey Rachel King was full of praise for Blue Door who settled outside the leader, took control of the race in the straight and held of the late surge of The Next Episode who came form last after badly missing the start.
"I was a little wary off only one trial, I know she was very impressive in her trial, but we would always like them to have two,'' King said.
"But her gallop on Tuesday was super so I knew she'd taken plenty of benefit from that trial,
"She tired late the last 50m, but she's got a great attitude, she's a real race horse, she wants to win. She's very professional, she's got that will to win and wants to find the line.''
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