Fully Lit and Perfumist on track for The Big Dance

Fully Lit, prepared by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, dictated terms for a significant portion of the Group 3 $250,000 Cameron Handicap (1500m). Meanwhile, Bjorn Baker's Perfumist finished with exceptional vigour to claim the Group 3 $250,000 Tibbie Stakes (1400m).

The Cameron Handicap triumph qualifies Fully Lit for The Big Dance, scheduled for Melbourne Cup Day, November 3. However, an alternative prominent Randwick mile contest might be on the radar before this major event.

Last year, Fully Lit ran second in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap behind the outstanding mare Autumn Glow. He is now very well-handicapped with 50kg for a renewed assault on the $1.5 million feature mile at Royal Randwick on October 3.

Neil Paine, representing the stable, singled out jockey Regan Bayliss for special praise after Fully Lit ($5.50) repelled all challengers in the home straight to win by one-and-a-quarter lengths from I'mintowin ($6.50). Mr Miller ($1.80 favourite) was a further half-length back in third.

"When Regan walked out to ride the horse he was very confident and said he wanted to go to the front," Paine said. "It was a great ride and Fully Lit is just a tough, little horse. He's run second in an Epsom, he won a $2 million race (Inglis Millennium) and now he has come here and won a Cameron.

"He's been a great horse for his owners, for Red Fox Racing, and for Gai and Adrian."

Fully Lit, who secured third place in the Cameron Handicap last year behind Headley Grange, was performing at his best today, according to jockey Bayliss.

"That was a peak performance from the horse," Bayliss declared. "He took complete control of the race and was too good."

Earlier, Perfumist ($3.60 favourite) received a confident ride from Rachel King, accelerating impressively in the straight to win the Tibbie Stakes by two-and-a-half lengths over Mareth ($10). Polymnia ($5) finished close in third, nearly a length adrift.

"She deserved that," King remarked about Perfumist's commanding win.

"This preparation she is bigger, stronger and more mature. She has always shown promise and hopefully she can continue to improve.

"She has a good turn of foot and will get a lot of confidence out of that win. She is going super."

Although Baker was absent for Perfumist's decisive victory, stable manager Luke Hilton conveyed the trainer's ambitious plans for the talented mare. These include contesting the Group 3 Angst Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on Everest Day, October 17, and subsequently the Listed $3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Royal Randwick on Melbourne Cup Day, November 3.

"Perfumist was fantastic today," Hilton stated.

"Full credit to Bjorn, he's done an amazing job. She hasn't had the best first-up record but Bjorn did things differently this time, giving her an exhibition gallop and a couple of good gallops at home, and it has paid off.

"She is right on target for the Angst and the Big Dance."

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