Despite drifting alarmingly in betting, Godolphin’s Medaglia d’Oro (USA) filly Asiago carried her topweight to a last stride win against a competitive field of three-year-old fillies in Friday’s $200,000 Group III Carlton Draught Kembla Classic (1600m) at Kembla Grange.
In a blanket finish with a length covering the first seven across the line, Hugh Bowman weaved a passage between runners on Asiago to score a short-head win over the Not A Single Doubt filly Shout The Bar who met defeat for the first time at her third start, although it will do no harm to her full-sister who will be in the Segenhoe draft heading to the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
The Sacred Falls filly All Saints' Eve was a long-head back in third.
Asiago - image Steve Hart
Trained by James Cummings, Asiago was making just her second start since winning the Group III NJC Spring Stakes (1600m) at Newcastle on November 16.
The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro (USA) hold entries for the Group 1 Coolmore Legacy (1600m) and the Group 1 ATC Australian Oaks (2400m) and Bowman believes she can run the Classic distance.
“She came here with good credentials, but she had to make her own luck because she never got much room in the straight,” Bowman said.
“I thought I had the sought of horse to maneuverer through that tight run and she was very game, it was a top effort.
“I think she has Oaks written all over here. I don’t even know what her pedigree is, I should have done my homework before riding her, but she will eat up 2000 metres and I think she will go beyond that but the team will work out what the plans are for her but she certainly has a bright future.”
Asiago is the third winner and first stakes-winner out of the very talented Disputes (Manton) who was kept at distances up to a mile winning the Listed ATC Reginald Allen Hcp and placed in the Listed AJC Gimcrack Stakes.
There is more confidence that Asiago will run the Oaks distance through Disputes’ half-sister Divorces (Domesday) who won the Group III MRC Thousand Guineas Prelude and Listed Gold Coast Bracelet and placed in eight stakes races including the Group 1 AJC Champagne Stakes and was fourth in the Group 1 Queensland Oaks won by Scarlett Lady.
Disputes has a yearling filly and filly foal by Iffraaj (GB) but missed to Ribchester (IRE) last spring.
