Big things planned for filly

WELLINGTON: Canterbury filly Emily Margaret hinted she could be in for a lucrative campaign with a stunning lasttofirst victory at Riccarton Park on Saturday.

The Pins filly was having her first run for the season following a stylish trial win at Rangiora last month against several race winners.

She was settled well back in the early stages of the 1000m scamper by North Island apprentice Jasmine Fawcett. Hooked to the outside of the straight by Fawcett, the filly cruised clear to win untouched by two lengths from the favourite, William James.

‘‘You never like to be too confident heading into a race, but I really thought she was a big winning chance,’’ cotrainer Kevin Hughes said.

‘‘She had been working up with our good sprinter Carnival and they were flying.

‘‘We had given her a little break after she had run third back in June and she just thrived. She’s filled out nicely and we think she could be in for a very good campaign.’’

Her next race will be the Canterbury Belle Stakes in two weeks ‘‘and safely through that she will have a run over 1400m before we hope to get her into the [New Zealand] 1000 Guineas at Cup Week’’.

‘‘She is from a good sprinting family but the way she relaxes in her races I think she is quite capable of getting the mile [1600m] of the Guineas comfortably.’’ — NZ Racing Desk