Medicinal just what the doctor ordered in the Ottawa
Godolphin’s promising filly Medicinal (Brazen Beau) was another juvenile to confirm her elite-level potential with a stylish victory in Saturday’s Ottawa Stakes (Gr 3, 1000m) at Flemington.
Trained by Ben, Will and JD Hayes, the daughter of Brazen Beau (I Am Invincible) entered the race off the back of a dominant maiden win at Ballarat and she justified her status as the short-priced favourite with a professional display down the Flemington straight.
Jumping from the outside barrier, Jamie Melham allowed the filly to stride forward and take up the running as the eight-horse field travelled down the centre of the course. Asked to extend approaching the 300 metres, Medicinal quickly went through her gears and proved too strong for her rivals.
Sydney visitor Scintillation (I Am Invincible) briefly loomed as a threat, but Medicinal asserted her class late to score by 0.8 lengths. The Grahame Begg-trained Jadiza (Ole Kirk) produced an encouraging debut to finish second, with Scintillation holding third a further 1.2 lengths away.
Speaking post-race, Ben Hayes said the stable had long held the filly in high regard.
“She was very professional today,” Hayes said. “At Ballarat she did a lot wrong but still won by a big margin. Today she jumped straight to the front and travelled really strongly the whole way.
“If you look at her she doesn’t really look like a two-year-old – she’s powerful, has a deep girth and she’s very strong. We’ve always had a high opinion of her.”
Future plans are likely to be discussed with connections, but Hayes suggested the filly could be tested during the Sydney autumn carnival, including a tilt at the Golden Slipper.
“Hopefully we might head up to Sydney,” he said. “In an open Golden Slipper she wouldn’t look out of place.”
Melham said Medicinal was still learning her craft but would take improvement from the run.
“She still did a few things wrong,” Melham said. “She’s got a very sensitive mouth and threw her head a few times, but she’s a nice filly and I think she’ll improve again over a bit further.”
Medicinal has now won two of her three starts, having finished sixth on debut in the Blue Diamond Prelude (Gr 2, 1100m) (F) behind subsequent Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Streisand (Magnus).
A homebred for Godolphin, she is the first foal to race from the Hallowed Crown (Street Sense) mare Tisane, herself a half-sister to the dam of four-time Group 1 winner Guelph (Exceed And Excel) and Group 2 winner turned Group 1-producing sire Ghibellines (Shamardal). The family also features Group 1 winners Camarena (Danehill), Bivouac (Exceed And Excel) and Sepoy (Elusive Quality).
Medicinal becomes the 30th individual stakes winner for Darley’s Brazen Beau, whose progeny are headed by Group 1 winners Zapateo, Another Prophet and On The Bubbles.