The smart Ciaron Maher-trained three-year-old filly Signature Scent (Written Tycoon) registered her fourth win from just 10 starts with an impressive victory in the three-year-old Fillies Handicap at Caulfield on Saturday.
The success also brought up the 100th career winner for in-form apprentice Jabez Johnstone.
There was genuine speed early as noted front-runner Cavalry Girl (Bivouac) took up the running, with Wintery (Frosted {USA}) and Miss Lola (Blue Point {IRE}) settling prominently just behind the pace.
Turning for home, race favourite Lady Verity (I Am Invincible) was clearly struggling, but once Johnstone was able to angle Signature Scent into clear running after enjoying a rails run in fifth, the Maher-trained filly quickly asserted herself.
Craig Williams did made Signature Scent work for the victory aboard the brave Cavalry Girl, but class ultimately told as Signature Scent pulled away over the closing stages to score by a length. Cavalry Girl fought on gamely for second, with Restless Wind (Written By) finishing third.
Signature Scent was deserving of another victory after returning in excellent order from a freshen-up. She had not raced since finishing fifth behind Tycoon Star (Written Tycoon) in Listed company at Morphettville on April 26, having also picked up black type with a placing in the Listed Redelva Stakes two weeks earlier.
Maher’s National Assistant Trainer Jack Turnbull said the filly had returned to the races exactly as planned.
“She had two weeks off after her Adelaide campaign and with a short sharp break, she was only going to take a short period to get back to the races,” Turnbull said.
Turnbull said discussions around Signature Scent’s future remain ongoing.
“The idea of this campaign and last, was to get her back into form, we had discussions about going to the breeding barn and they are still very much on the horizon, but she can tell us, if she finds form which she naturally has, potentially we may go another season, but we will leave that to Mr Zhang and Yulong to decide that.”
He said the stable was pleased to target the easier assignment.
“We liked her chances with Jabez on, drawn low given the fitness we had, we could have gone the tougher option, going to the feature today but it probably would have been misplacement on our behalf given the conditions of that race, but thankfully we have gone here and got the win and now we can look onwards.”
Sales info: Signature Scent made history as the first seven-figure sale at the Inglis Ready To Race Sale when purchased by Yulong for $1 million from the Baystone Farm draft at the 2024 sale. Signature Scent was bred by Yulong and was originally sold by the operation for $200,000 at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale to Baystone Farm, meaning the filly has come full circle.
Pedigree info: Signature Scent is a daughter of dual Group 1 winner Soriano (NZ) (Savabeel), the Champion Middle Distance Horse in New Zealand.
Soriano has produced four other winners, including the stakes-placed Alonso (Zoustar). Soriano is out of Group 3 winner Call Me Lily (NZ) (Just A Dancer {NZ}), who also produced Group 3 winner Kaizer Franz (NZ) (Savabeel) and the six-time winner and Listed-placed Affairoftheheart (NZ) (Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}), herself the dam of Gr.1 New Zealand Derby winner Rocket Spade (Fastnet Rock).
Soriano, in recent times, has left a two-year-old filly named Rose Pick (Tagaloa), a yearling colt by Written Tycoon, a weanling colt by Alabama Express, and was served by Written Tycoon to Northern Hemisphere time in April earlier this year.
Written for TTRAusNZ
