Four-year-old mare Brutify posted a long-awaited maiden victory when she led all the way at Colac.
Having her 12th start, she bounced off consecutive second placings with jockey Jack Hill easing her down in the closing stages for an emphatic win in Friday’s Mortimer Maiden Plate (1200m).
Assistant trainer James Edwards said Brutify had always shown a heap of promise and that allowing her to run free on the speed had been the turning point for her.
“We always thought that she was going to go right through her grades, and taught her to jump, relax, and then try and finish off, but it just wasn’t working out,” James said.
“Her last three runs we’ve been positive on her out of the gates and after a couple of seconds it was good to break the duck today.”
Well supported as the $3.70 favourite, Brutify began well to lead and kicked away in the straight when Jack Hill asked her for a final effort.
Coasting to the line late, she scored by 1-1/2 lengths from Hellofacurrry ($4.60) and Kiwi Harmony ($4.40).
Jack has ridden Brutify at her last three starts and knew she was close to a win with narrow defeats at Colac and Terang.
“She deserved to win with her last two runs being very good,” Jack said.
“We just worked out a way to ride her – don’t hold her up, let her do her own thing.
“Actually, she was very relaxed within herself today, and she got a couple of cheap sectionals from the half mile to about the 400m.
“She quickened up and was good getting to the line, although she was sort of stargazing, wandering around a little bit, too.
“That gives you promise going forward and that it’s not going to be her only win.”