Odessa wins again

Speed filly Odessa had another confidence boosting win on the Sportsbet Ballarat Synthetic on Monday September 1.

Trained by Tony & Calvin McEvoy, and ridden by Harry Coffey, the three-year-old filly took on the older horses and raced away in the home straight in the Hygain Winners Choice Benchmark 62 Handicap (1000m).

Punters who took the $1.50 price about the favourite had no concern over the final stages as Odessa raced away to win by 5-1/2 lengths from El Salto ($5) with Over The Stars ($8), a length away third,

The daughter of champion stallion Zoustar jumped well to lead, withstood an early challenge, then sprinted powerfully over the final 300 metres to score easily.

Trainer Tony McEvoy was very pleased with the ease of Odessa’s win.

“That was what we were hoping for,” McEvoy said.

“She had good timing out of the gates and withstood a little bit of pressure early.

“Harry (Coffey) said that was what he wanted to do but if the pressure was too much he would hand up.

“But he made all the right decisions, and she withstood that early pressure, then quickened away.

“Odessa is a little bit fragile, and we try to ensure she reserves all her energy in the mounting yard, and she wears ear muffs pre-race but she will grow out of that.”

McEvoy said stable now hoped to step Odessa up in grade.

“We can look at a midweek, of it we wanted to get very aggressive there is a race like the Cap D’Antibes.

“I would still like to take small steps, because with a filly like this, if we could make her a metro winner it would be another big tick.

“There are plenty of races and plenty of time, she is only a baby and there is no rush for black type.

“I will talk to the Rosemont team about where we should go next.”

Winning jockey Harry Coffey said Odessa was now ready to go into the city.

“She did absorb a little bit of pressure early,” Coffey said.

“I think it is a good sign to see young, inexperienced horses go up against older horses and absorb that pressure.

“She kicked really well at the top of the straight and was dominant.

“It was good for her to get two real good confidence-boosting wins in a row, and she is at the top of her game.

“She is very fast so it will be interesting to see how she goes in town and against her own age.

“One thing you can say about Odessa is that she just loves going fast.

“Her asset is that she can jump, put herself there and she has got speed to burn.”