With winners at Doomben, Morphettville Parks and Ballarat it
was shaping as another good day at the office for the prolific Not A Single
Doubt but the best was yet to come at Ascot with the maiden stakes win of the
consistent 3yo filly Let It Slip in the Listed Placid Ark Stakes
before the Chris Waller-trained Good Project put the icing on the cake with a
dominant all the way win in the $1 million Group 1 James Boag's Premium Railway
Stakes (1600m).
Craig Williams took control of the valuable race on the
Sydney invader, leading at a solid tempo.
Although he looked to be under pressure on the home turn,
Good Project kept up a relentless gallop to defeat fellow Sydneysider Messene, enjoyed the run of the race and whacked away to grab second from the local hope Balmont Girl.
It has proved a profitable few weeks for Waller and owner CC
Lai following the victory of Delectation in the Group 1 Darley Classic at
Flemington.
After finishing unplaced in the Group II Queensland Guineas
last season, Good Project has been restricted to benchmark races this term
before his breakthrough stakes victory.
Stable representative Justine Hales praised the
professionalism of Craig Williams.
"He summed it up perfectly before the race, he said he had
to jump out and get handy and we didn't think that he would get to the lead
that easily.
"He slowed them up and he waited to pinch that break coming
around to the top of the straight.
"He is a great rider, he thinks about things so well and he
knew that horse had no weight and they just had to try and catch him.
"Everything he does he just takes in his stride and that is
what has helped him. Going to Brisbane taught him how to travel."
In earning his first stakes win Good Project (pictured as a yearling) takes his
overall record to 5 wins, 8 seconds and 3 thirds from 21 starts for earnings of
$974,710.
A $300,000 purchase from the Fairhill Farm draft at the 2013 Inglis Premier Yearling sale, Good Project was the most expensive of the 75 yearlings by Not A Single Doubt sold that year.
Bred by Richard Pietrykowski, Good Project was foaled and raised at Mike O'Donnell's Fairhill Farm and is the eighth foal of
the Final Card mare Euchre who has produced World Airline (Umatilla) a multiple
stakes-winner in Singapore and the stakes-placed Alacarte.
Euchre has a yearling filly by Pierro but failed to conceive
to her cover by Hinchinbrook last spring.
The second stakes-winner on the day for Not A Single Doubt
was Let It Slip.
Ridden by Peter Hall for trainer Daniel Pearce, Let It Slip
came with a strong finish to defeat Yoshi Noxious (Fath) by a length with
Mystic Maid (Patronize) three quarters of a length back in third.
A $130,000 purchase by her trainer at the 2014 Magic
Millions Perth Yearling sale, Let It Slip is the first foal of the 4-time Sydney
winner Oopsy Doopsy a blood-sister to Listed stakes-winner Red Hot Mama.
Oopsy Doopsy is a daughter of the 8-time winning Bite The
Bullet mare Miss Doopsy a sister to Beat The Bullet the dam of Group 1 VRC Oaks
and Group 1 Arrowfield Stakes winner Hollow Bullet.
Purchased by Gervase Park Stud $100,000 at the 2011 Inglis
Australian Easter Broodmare Sale, Oopsy Doopsy has a 2yo Blackfriars colt named
Gangbuster.
Tragically, the daughter of General Nediym died in October
2013.
Let It Slip becomes the 28th stakes-winner and
Good Project the 29th stakes-winner and second Group 1 winner for
Arrowfield Stud's Not A Single Doubt who has 32 yearling catalogued for the Gold
Coast in January.