Exploring too smart at Flemington

Godolphin and James Cummings will look to continue their good run of form in Adelaide with their two-year-olds after Exploring scored a first-up win at Flemington.

The Listed Lightning Stakes (1050m) at Morphettville on July 29 is the potential next assignment for Exploring after her victory in the VRC Member Annabel Cobain Sprint (1000m) on Saturday.

Already a Stakes winner in her first preparation when successful in the Group 2 Blue Diamond Prelude (1000m) at Sandown in February, the Godolphin team would like to add some more ‘Black Type’ to Exploring’s pedigree before the end of the season.

“With two weeks left before the end of the season it would be lovely to get a Stakes race in before the end of the year,” Godolphin assistant-trainer Sean Keogh said.

“(The Lightning) that is the race we could potentially head across for. She will have 52 kilos there and it looks like the right race for her.”

Ridden by Celine Gaudray, Exploring ($7.50) scored a half-length win from ($4.20) with Ouroboros ($16) a neck away third.

Exploring raced in the best two-year-old company during the autumn contesting the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes and the Golden Slipper.

Keogh said while Exploring may not have grown from the last time the filly was in Melbourne, he noticed she was more mature mentally.

“She has strengthened up and mentally she’s come on,” Keogh said.

“I thought she paraded beautifully today and made her way down the Flemington straight to the start quiet as a lamb and was tractably nice in the run and unleashed that turn of foot.

“She is a quality filly as we saw last time in, and she is a course and distance winner here at Flemington.

“The lads prepared her well at Osborne Park this time in. She had two straight track trials before coming down here.

“We’re very happy that she could put up a performance like that with the weight she had.”