Scintillation scores impressive comeback victory at Randwick
Scintillation was positioned near the front runners, took the lead early in the final straight, and easily maintained her advantage over rivals in the Marcellin College Randwick Handicap over 1100 metres.
Renowned trainer John O'Shea indicated to Racing And Sports that Scintillation had achieved the initial objective of a long-term plan.
"We decided some months ago to target this race and if she ran well then we will take her to Melbourne for the Group 3 $200,000 Quezette Stakes at Caulfield in three weeks,'' said O'Shea, who trains in partnership with Tom Charlton.
"I'm not sure how she will go on racing the Melbourne direction so the Caulfield race will determine what we do with her in the spring.
"But she's a very promising filly and it was good to see her get the job done today."
The filly, Scintillation ($7.50), broke clear to secure a win by three-quarters of a length ahead of the fast-finishing Suasion ($18). Lorax ($18) secured third place.
Letters Patent, backed into $2.80 favouritism, was afforded every opportunity by jockey James McDonald but finished in fifth position.
Having had two starts earlier in the season, Scintillation debuted with a win at Gosford and subsequently earned black type when finishing third behind Medicinal in the Group 3 Ottawa Stakes.
If the O'Shea-Charlton trained filly can secure a victory at stakes level, she will become a highly valuable prospect as a broodmare for future breeding seasons, due to her superb breeding by the champion sire I Am Invincible and being out of his first foal from Minhaaj, a daughter of Exceed And Excel.
John O'Shea himself trained Minhaaj to win three Group 3 races, notably The Nivison in 2021.
Talented young jockey Zac Lloyd expressed confidence in Scintillation's promising future following her dominant win.
"I might have got to the front too soon but she was always going to win,'' Lloyd said.
"She was actually drawing away from them again on the line, she was very strong late in the race.
"But I think she is essentially a sprinter – she is bred to be a sprinter and is only going to improve with racing."
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