The Tony McEvoy trained Roomooz is on target for the Thousand Guineas with a tough first up win in the $120,000 Johnnie Walker Plate (1200m) at The Valley today.

Roomooz, in yellow colours, hold off Tulip to win the Johnnie Walker Plate at The Valley. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Roomooz ($7) was having her first run back since finishing eighth to Catchy in the Group 1 $1.5m Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 25 and showed plenty of fight and determination to hold off the $2.25 favourite Tulip to record a nose win.

True Excelsior ($15) got the nod over Limestone ($6) to hold down third spot.

McEvoy said that Roomooz had shown him some great improvement since she returned to the stable after a spell and will now set a program that heads towards the Group 1 $500,000 Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 14.

The Fastnet Rock filly will step out next in the Listed $120,000 Mitchelton Atlantic Jewel Stakes (1200m) at The Valley on September 9 then into the Group 2 $200,000 Schweppes Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield a fortnight before the Thousand Guineas.

“I think she will get better at that (stepping up to the 1600m). We will go to the Atlantic Jewel here in a couple of weeks and then probably into the Guineas Prelude and then into the Thousand Guineas,” McEvoy said.

“The form lines are extremely strong and that was a cracking fillies race and I am very proud of her,” McEvoy said.

McEvoy praise the winning ride of Luke Currie who settled Roomooz behind the two leaders before letting her take over the lead once heads were turned for home.

Craig Williams tried to lift Tulip over the concluding stages but the Lindsay Park trained filly failed by a nose to pick up Roomooz.

“I didn’t want him to be back fighting her when the speed looked a bit unsure with Madeenaty out so I said to b so I said to bounce and be positive and to trust her and he rode her superbly,” McEvoy said.