Plucky Quill delights Carrs
TRAINER Royston Carr had reason to be elated after his well-bred filly Quick Quill scored a courageous debut win in a maiden over 1100 metres at Luxbet Park Hobart on Saturday.
The three-year-old led after a 300m battle for the prime spot on the rails and she then had to contend with multiple challenges before proving too strong for a handy field of maiden performers, including the highly promising Mandela Effect that finished a game second.
Quick Quill (WordsmithBe Prepared) had taken time to mature enough to warrant a racing preparation and there was nobody happier than her rider Siggy Carr.
“This filly has had so much to contend with before she raced and for her to finally get to the races and win on debut is fantastic,” the rider said.
Quick Quill was born on Melbourne Cup night in 2014 and Siggy has seen her progress from day one.
“When you have such a close relationship with a horse from birth it is quite an emotional experience when they come out and win at their first race start,” she said.
When Carr was returning to the scales area to weigh in the tears were rolling down her face which is testament to her affection for horses.
Her father, trainer Royston, was as elated and it showed when the filly was returning to the unsaddling enclosure.
“We bred this filly and she is raced by members of the family so it is definitely a special win for all of us because she was also ridden by my daughter,” the trainer said.
Quick Quill is raced by Royston’s wife Tull Luttrell and their sons Andrew and John Carr and Andrew’s partner Ingrid Lorentzen.
The filly could be headed for a tilt at the 3YO Cup in Launceston next month.
“I’ll see how she comes through this race before making any firm plans but the way she refused to be beaten when Mandela Effect came at her I’m tempted to give her a chance at the 3YO Cup.”
Quick Quill’s dam, Be Prepared, has been a surrogate mother to two foals including Gee Gees Cool Gal that is owned by Paul and Elizabeth Geard and in return for that gesture the Geards offered Carr a free service to their stallion Wordsmith and Quick Quill is the result.
The trainer said his other smart three-year-old Mister Songman that started the $1.90 favourite and finished third behind Derasa and Gee Gee Lanett in the 3YO Vase (1100m) on Saturday, had pulled up well.
“They went at a very solid clip and I’m sure he is just looking for further so we’ll stay focused on getting him to the Tasmanian Guineas (1600m).”
The runner-up Gee Gee Lanett did a sensational job considering the saddle slipped about 300 metres from home, forcing Carr to ride her sidesaddle to the line.