Clifton Red made an impressive start to her racing career with an upset victory over the well-backed Ygritte in the Group 3 Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes (1200m) at Flemington this afternoon.

Clifton Red has earned herself a trip to Sydney for the Sires Produce Stakes after recording a surprise win in the Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes at Flemington on Saturday. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Widden Stakes runner-up Ygritte took up the running with 300 metres left to run and looked as though she had the race won, but Clifton Red worked home strongly to hit the front at the 75 metre mark and score a three quarters of a length win.

David Hayes had no luck at Flemington last Saturday, finishing second in the Saintly Handicap with Backstedt, the Bob Hoysted Handicap with Pago Rock and the VRC 150^th Celebration Race with Extra Zero, and the veteran trainer admitted that he thought he might have to settle for another runner-up finish.

“I thought at about the 100 she was going to run second, but she really dug deep,” Hayes said.

“She trailed very well up the straight against Wilderness and when Wilderness trialed so well I thought that it might be a good trial.”

Hayes confirmed that Clifton Red would head to New South Wales for the 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, but said that the daughter of Sebring was no certainty to contest the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on April 5; with the Group 1 Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 19 her major autumn goal.

“We are going to go to Sydney and run in a lead-up to the Slipper, but we are probably looking at the Randwick Carnival unless she invites herself to the Slipper,” Hayes said.

“I have to watch the replay; she looked like she was travelling well with 400 metres to go, so she might have enough toe to be in a high pressure two-year-old race.”

Stephen Baster has done plenty of riding for David Hayes in the past fortnight, with regular stable jockey Chad Schofield doing some freelance work, and said that he was happy to ride a winner for a family he has been riding for since he was an apprentice.

“She is a lovely filly and she was prepared well and educated well,” Baster said.

“Her finish was really strong and it was a good win.

“Vlad’s horse was going to win easy, but it stargazed when it hit the front and really eased up in the last fifty metres and my filly was strong to the line.”

Hayes and Baster will have the opportunity to record another feature race win when they combine with Pago Rock in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap at Flemington this afternoon.

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2014 Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes Results