Lake District Girl too fast

Speedy three-year-old filly Lake District Girl stepped up from a Morphettville Maiden to win at Sandown in Melbourne on Wednesday, February 20.

Despite coming from a wide gate, Lake District Girl, the $2.25 favourite, ridden by apprentice Michael Poy, had enough pace to cross and lead, then hang on score a photo-finish win in the Ladbrokes Cash In Benchmark 64 Handicap (1000m) defeating Tatiara ($5.50) with Ray’s Dream ($9.50), a long neck away third.

But the filly had to withstand a protest before being able to claim victory.

As she got tired late, Lake District Girl tended to drift towards the centre of the course and connections of the runner-up felt their runner had been impeded but stewards ruled it had not affected the result.

The victory gave McEvoy a race-to-race double at Sandown having won the previous event with Rockarral. It brought up a two-state treble having also won at Strathalbyn with Now And Forever.   

Melbourne stable foreman Michael Shepherdson said Lake District Girl had shown blistering speed from the gates like during her two-year-old days.

“She is a bit more furnished now,” Shepherdson said.

“She got a bit tired late so there is more to come with her fitness.

“We’ve always thought she was a stakes-class filly but now she has gained confidence in lower grades.

“She will gain a lot from the wins and I’m sure Tony will find a nice three-year-old race for her.”

Jockey Michael Poy thought Lake District Girl had been the class horse of the race.

“The way she begun I decided to take luck out of the equation by letting her slide across to lead.

“She led easy enough and I had still had plenty left at the 300 metre mark but she got weary legs late.”

The filly now has two wins and a third from just five starts.