Winner of the Listed Maribyrnong Trial Stakes at Flemington when making her career debut just over 12 months ago, Bel Esprit filly Sweet Sherry needed another seven starts to add a second stakes victory, which came in Saturday's $120,000 Listed Bertocchi Crockett Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley.
Ridden by Steven Arnold, Sweet Sherry swept down the outside to defeat Prompt Response (Beneteau) by a long head with Overstep (Exceed And Excel) a neck back in third (photo Grant Courtney).
Far from disgraced when sixth in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes and seventh in the Group 1 Golden Slipper when trained by Brent Stanley, Sweet Sherry began the new season with a win over 1200
metres at Moonee Valley on August 20 for new trainers Leon and Troy Corstens.
.jpg)
At her most recent start, Sweet Cherry finished third in the Atlantic Jewel Stakes at Moonee Valley.
"We've always had a lot of faith in her and thought she was on the path to the Thousand Guineas but she got sick so we couldn't get her there," Troy Corstens said.
"She was really good and Steve gave her a lovely ride. She was able to track up into the race nicely after finding some cover early and then she's finished off terrific."
"There's a 1400
metre Listed race on Cup day and if she runs well in that then we'll aim for the Sandown Guineas.
"It's awesome to win a nice race for Steve Gillard, he puts a lot of money into the game so he deserves a nice winner."
A $260,000 purchase by Cloud 9 Thoroughbreds from the Swettenham Stud draft at the Inglis Premier Yearling sale, Sweet Sherry is a half-sister to the multiple Group II winner Arinosa (Dash For Cash).
She is the sixth foal of the stakes-placed Amoroso (
Revoque) who has a 2yo Dash For Cash colt named Andaz who was purchased by Chris Waller for $150,000 at this year's Inglis Premier Yearling sale.
Amoroso (
Revoque) was covered by Master Of Design in 2014 and Fastnet Rock in 2015.
