Too Darn Discreet ($10) has gone from breaking her maiden at Sandown to a Group 2 winner in back-to-back starts, following her tough victory in the Edward Manifold Stakes at Flemington on Saturday afternoon.
The Dan O’Sullivan-trained filly was given a peach of a ride by Mark Zahra as he settled at the back of the field and stayed out of trouble before getting onto the back of the race favourite, Declichy Boulevard ($2.15) on the home turn.
Killcare Beachgirl ($10) set a solid tempo at the front of the field and gave a good kick at the 400m mark; however, the eventual winner and favourite loomed up strongly and went past the slowing pacesetter by the 200m pole.
Zahra produced the whip on the daughter of Too Darn Hot, and she quickly got the better of her main rival to run away with a strong victory.
2024 Edward Manifold Stakes replay – Too Darn Discreet
Dan O’Sullivan was on course to speak about Too Darn Discreet’s win.
“It was a great ride in the very trying circumstances for Mark. He was pretty keen to ride her (today) because he liked what he’d seen last start,” O’Sullivan said.
“He (Zahra) got that three-ride line and he was pretty keen to get on board her and get on to ride her because he liked what he’d seen last start and he’s able to execute the job really strong, really perfectly today.
“Like every three-year-old filly, you have aims towards these races here and it’s a little bit tricky now whether you go on – do you try and create an Oaks filly or do you keep her fresh?
“She’s still a pretty immature filly, whether the Oaks comes up too quick as a spring three-year-old, but look, we’ll enjoy today, get her home.
“She’s obviously got great stamina and she showed that to me – no, not stamina – toughness when I gave her a pretty tough trial and she just bounced through it and she bounced through a tough win the other day, so I’ve got no fear that she’ll come out of this really well too.”
Mark Zahra was quick to compliment his mount and talk about the conditions of the track in his post-race interview.
“I travelled well. You could barely see – the wind was sort of coming in hard too and I managed to get the back of the favourite,” Zahra said.
“Actually ran straight up his bum at about the 600 and I was just confident she’d outstay him and in those conditions she was the strongest.
“It was just mainly surface water then because it was dry and then we got a big shower.
“It’s definitely going to go into the slow range, that’s for sure.”
Too Darn Discreet is a $12 chance with horse racing bookmakers in the Group 1 VRC Oaks futures markets.
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