News

Lucrative debut for Jessica Rose

6th Dec 2010

Racenet - Brad Waters - Saturday, 4 December 2010

Jessica Rose currently lacks size but showed she has a big motor with a comfortable debut win in the Powersource Global Plate (1000m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

Most of her rivals dwarfed the Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra-trained filly in the mounting yard but Jessica Rose showed a strong turn of foot under jockey Dwayne Dunn's urgings after a slow early pace to beat the Lee Freedman-trained Joyeux.

Co-trainer Simon Zahra said Jessica Rose was almost a late scratching after the stable had trouble securing a barrier ticket for the youngster ahead of her first start.

“It was a bit of a worry but we got through those issue and we got a good result today,” Zahra said. “She was just going all over the place and wouldn’t go in so the stewards told us she had to do it again but that’s the rules and we have to abide by them.”

Zahra said the stable managed to get clearance to start Jessica Rose at a Flemington jumpout on Friday.

The filly’s win was especially lucrative after the daughter of Keep The Faith picked up a $30,000 Super VOBIS bonus for connections to add to the $42,700 winner’s cheque.

Zahra admitted to misgivings when he and owner Barry Griffiths selected Jessica Rose before paying $17,000 for her at the 2010 Inglis Melbourne Autumn Yearling Sale at Oaklands Junction.

“I was with Barry when he picked the filly out and I thought ‘oh, she’s okay’ but he really liked her,” Zahra said. “He saw something in her and he bought her.

“She was tiny but Barry was happy with her and thought if she went to his farm, she would put on a fair bit of weight.

“When she came back in, you realise that he has got a good property.”

Zahra said the stable would consider giving Jessica Rose a break before targeting “better races” after Christmas. Ellerton and Zahra won the Blue Diamond Preview and Golden Slipper with Crystal Lily last year.

Merits Respect claimed third narrowly ahead of her Mick Price-trained stablemate Tatum.