The $2million Inglis Millennium on February 8 looms as an appealing option for talented Bivouac filly Cavalry Girl, who opened her account with an easy victory at Flemington on Saturday in the colours of Joe O’Neill’s Prime Thoroughbreds.
Trained by Tom Dabernig and ridden by Linda Meech, Cavalry Girl was second on debut in the $150,000 Geelong Diamond behind Cherish Me and took good benefit from that outing.
Sent out favourite, she chimed in with 200m to run and powered to the line to win the 1000m scamper by a length and a half.
A $110,000 Inglis Classic purchase for Prime Thoroughbreds from the Vinery Stud draft, Cavalry Girl has already banked nearly $110,000 from her first two starts and there is more in store.
"She's an Inglis graduate, so she is eligible for the two-million-dollar Inglis race (Millenium) in early Feb which is on the radar if she pulls up okay, and she is in the Blue Diamond as well so we've got a little bit to think about. Obviously it all depends on her and how she comes through the run," Dabernig said.
"She's always been a very professional filly. She was well found by Joe O'Neill, he's a great judge and his record speaks for itself.
"The first run I think we ran into a reasonably smart one in the winner of Ciaron Maher's (Cherish Me) but she did everything pretty right and then today, sort of mid-race there was a little bit of shuffling of positions and it didn't put her off her game.
"She was able to accelerate and win quite softly. I thought Linda rode her very confidently."
Bred by Patrick Hodgens and Bill Piper, Cavalry Girl is the first foal of Islands, a winning half-sister by I Am Invincible to Group II winner and Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Military Rose, the grand-dam of Group III winner Espionage.
Vinery Stud sold the second foal of Islands, a filly by The Autumn Sun, for $350,000 at Magic Millions to MyRacehorse/Bjorn Baker/Clarke Bloodstock Pty Ltd (FBAA)/Belmont Bloodstock Agency.
Islands had a filly by Russian Revolution last year and is now in foal to Golden Slipper winner Shinzo.
Cavalry Girl is the third winner – two in Australia and one in NZ - for Bivouac, who has 14 entries for the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale this year.
