Horse Racing

Bashful Girl claimed a narrow victory in Saturday’s $125 000 Group 3 Eclipse Stakes (1800m) securing back-to-back wins for father and son training team Bevan and Richard Laming.

The Lamings have had a poor week off-track as they were charged on Friday by Racing Victoria stewards over a positive test to the banned substance erythropoietin (EPO) by two of their horses.

Saturday’s success however was a much more positive story, as star hoop Craig Newitt masterfully manoeuvred Bashful Girl close to the inside, saving lengths on the turn and then charging to the front with 300m to go. The five-year-old mare, at $18 to win, stayed out front to defeat the odds-on favourite Rose Syrah ($3.20) by a long neck with Down Under Boy ($31) a length away in third.

Danny Nikolic’s Rose Syrah was heavily supported by the punters going into the race. She was held up in the early stages of the straight, however, and despite running well once clear, the late lunge wasn’t enough to catch the leader.

This is the first preparation Bashful Girl has had with the Lamings as she was previously trained by Brian Mayfield-Smith. The black-type victory came at the perfect time as she is due to be retired at the end of the month and Saturday’s win will go a long way to enhance her breeding value.

The Laming’s other runner in the race, Sea Skye finished eighth while Luke Oliver’s Ulysses failed to finish in the last feature race of the Melbourne Spring Carnival.

2009 Eclipse Stakes Final Finishing Order:

Failed To Finish: ULYSSES