Plenty Of Ammo ($4) may have only had six starts before running in the Group 2 Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley on Saturday afternoon, but she has proved too good in the concluding stages of the 1600m contest.
The Symon Wilde-trained mare put the writing on the wall first-up when she was an unlucky runner in the Listed Paris Lane Stakes, and she showed it was no fluke by taking out her first Group 2 victory in her first attempt in Group grade.
Jordan Childs was legged back aboard the daughter of Rebel Raider, and with the win, he continues his unbeaten streak of four wins from four starts aboard Plenty Of Ammo.
After jumping well from barrier four, Childs settled midfield off the fence and gained an economical run three-wide on the back of her stablemate, Sirileo Miss ($13).
Before the home turn, Childs released the brakes on the eventual winner, and she was set alight four-wide in the final 300m to chase down Royal Champion ($4.20), who led the field throughout.
There were a couple of nervous moments with some of the placegetters and trailing horses, but it was all honours to the winner as Plenty Of Ammo took over in the final 50m to record an impressive victory.
2024 Crystal Mile replay – Plenty Of Ammo
Bill Wilde represented the winning stable in the post-race interview.
“She’s been a bit of a handful on this thing,” Wilde said.
“She’s a lovely mare. She’s a homebred.
“We’ve had a few issues with her, she’s been temperamental, but today she performed beautifully and I just love the way that she paraded beautifully.
“She’s got a few dapples on her; behaved herself beautifully, so today that was a result we hoped for and expected.
“Onwards and upwards with her.”
Jordan Childs was complimentary of the winner post-race.
“She’s got a lot of ability for a lightly raced mare and the team, Symon Wilde and the team, they’ve done a good job of her just to get her through a few issues, but she’s come back in really good nick and great to get a good win for the team on a special day like this,” Childs said.
“I was probably a pair further back than where I wanted to be and along the side I was able to get out onto the stablemate’s (Sirieo Miss) back and she just took a little bit to wind up.
“I think first time around The Valley, just getting a little bit lost, but once she balanced up in the straight, she was really good through the line.”
Horse racing bookmakers are taking no chances with Plenty Of Ammo, tightening her into $8 in the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes futures market in case the stable chooses to run her again next weekend.
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