A good day at Sandown for Yulong Stud's champion stallion, Written Tycoon, with the 2-year-old filly Little Stirrer opening her account shortly after the 3-year-old colt Fury broke his maiden.
Ridden by Michael Dee for Ben, Will & JD Hayes, Little Stirrer overcame a three-wide run to break her maiden at start two. In a driving finish, the petite filly defeated the Yes Yes Yes debutant Yes Lulu by a neck, with the Street Boss (USA) filly Medici three-quarters of a length back in third in the Tobin Brothers Celebrating Lives Hcp (1000m).
A troubled third on debut, the Cambridge Stud colour bearer will likely target the Group III Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes on March 30 at Flemington.
"She did not have much luck at her first start; she was caught wide and had a tough run," Ben Hayes said.
"She is not very big and was brave today to sit three wide and kick like that.
'It's good to get a city win for Cambridge. They are good supporters, and it's pleasing for an expensive filly to get a city win.
"We have kept her ticking over, and this was the plan
"The Thoroughbred Breeders' (Stakes) is likely the direction we will take with her. We will see how she pulls up and plot a course."
A $500,000 purchase for Cambridge Stud from the Arrowfield Stud draft at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Little Stirrer is the second winner from three to race for the talented Snitzel mare Teaspoon, winner of the Group III Widden Stakes and third in the Group II Sweet Embrace Stakes.
A sister to Group II winner Aliyana Tilde, a half-sister to Group III winner Smytzer's Trish (dam of stakes-winner Swish Trish), and a half to Listed winners Stella Artois (dam of Group II winner Freestyle), Teaspoon had a Maurice (JPN) colt sell to Proven Thoroughbreds for $120,000 at the Magic Millions in January.
He is a brother to Teaspoon's second foal Saikono, who made just one start when third at Randwick and retired when fracturing a hind pastern.
Last spring, Teaspoon foaled a Maurice (JPN) colt and was bred back to the Japanese superstar.