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Thousand Guineas next step for surprise filly Se Sauver after defiant victory

7th Oct 2013

Herald Sun - Greg McFarlane - Saturday, 5 October 2013

GUTSY filly Se Sauver defied a slugging finish, a quick-fire but unsuccessful protest and fears from her trainer and jockey that she had been beaten on the post to win the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes.

And now the daughter of Bel Esprit will be given the chance to emulate the Group 1 feats of her half-brother Escado, who won this year's SA Derby.

Se Sauver, a $40,000 purchase for young Mornington trainer Matt Laurie (pictured left), will head to Thousand Guineas at Caulfield on Wednesday week before tackling the VRC Oaks at Flemington on November 7.

And while she will come up against the powerhouse three-year-old filly Guelph, who effortlessly won yesterday's Flight Stakes at Randwick, Laurie thinks she deserves a crack at the Thousand Guineas glory.

"She well and truly deserves to run in the Thousand Guineas, and if she is sound and well, she will go to the Oaks," Laurie said yesterday.

"She's tough enough. She was a little bit off the bridle, and I didn't think she got there in the end. But I'm so pleased because I've always had faith in this horse."

Damian Lane drove the filly to the line, winning by a nose from the David Hayes-trained Star Fashion, but he was concerned that he had been beaten when the two horses went stride for stride to the line. Solicit was third.

"I honestly thought that I got beat," Lane said. "We were going tooth and nail the whole way up the straight, and I thought he (Chad Schofield) got the better of me."

"But it is nice that she got the bob in. She is determined. Her last run (sixth in the Tranquil Star) was a catastrophe. She just got back and had no luck, so I was optimistic coming into today."

Laurie, 32, enjoyed his biggest success as a trainer when Escado saluted in Adelaide in May, but he admitted yesterday's success with the horse's half-sister was almost as thrilling for him and his team.

"Her brother won the (SA) Derby, but this is big - this is Flemington," Laurie said.

"We liked Escado so we were able to out and buy her. We paid a good price ($40,000).

"We were pretty confident with this horse. We liked her from the beginning. She's run a good race every single start, with no luck."

Se Sauver only won her maiden at Pakenham - at odds-on - on September 7 but she has now won more than $180,000 with the promise of more to come.