Racing
Fresh faces play starring roles at Warwick Farm
A pair of lightly raced three-year-olds from rival stables could be names to watch over the autumn.
The longer distance fillies' features await new kid on the block Feminino after she broke her maiden with a determined win at Warwick Farm.
Co-trainer Adrian Bott admitted he thought she might have needed further than the 1400-metres of Wednesday's Arrowfield Graduates Handicap, but Feminino's ($4.40) stamina was on display as she wore down stablemate Double Vision ($3.60 equal fav) by a half-length.
"I thought she'd be strong late, it was whether this distance today was still going to be short of her best," Bott said.
"She's going to be right at home when she's at a mile and even 2000 metres. Hopefully she is a filly that can put her hand up for all those three-year-old classics this season.
"She's a filly that can stay. She's tough and she has shown ability. To be winning here at only her second career start after a very good debut, that opens up a lot of options for her going forward."
Richard and Will Freedman also unleashed a promising talent in Journeyman ($6.50), the gelding producing a booming finish from back in the field to outclass his rivals in the Inglis Xtra Bonus Plate (1200m).
By The Autumn Sun, Journeyman had his career delayed when he suffered a slab fracture to a hock after his second barrier trial last year but appears destined to reward the perseverance of connections.
"I didn't think he'd win as dominantly as he's won but he has certainly got enough ability to start here in a pretty hot maiden," Will Freedman said.
"We will probably give him one more kill and if he does that really well, maybe you throw him in the deep end.
"He has learned how to settle, which is unreal, but as you saw up the straight he's still got a lot to learn so if he can figure that out, the sky is the limit for him."
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