Racing: Crutchley stands by Mi Jubilee

Trainer Stephen Crutchley has not given up on class filly Mi Jubilee, despite what looked to be an ordinary Australian debut in on Saturday's $125,000 Silver Shadow Stakes at Randwick.

Against what was rated the best field of fillies in Sydney for several years, Mi Jubilee dropped out in the final 300m to finish eighth after tracking the leaders in fourth place to the home turn.

The Wanganui filly showed nothing of the fight that characterised her 2-year-old career in New Zealand last season when racing against the Mercedes Juvenile Of The Year Darci Brahma, whom she beat in the group one Ford Sires Produce at Ellerslie.

Mi Jubilee is in Sydney for a three-race series and Crutchley always believed she would improve with racing and is still confident she can be competitive.

Improved fitness and the fact that Larry Cassidy had not ridden Mi Jubilee before Saturday are two areas he knows he has room to work with.

"She's not easy to ride for a speed filly - you actually have to get to know her.

"She likes to be right in the action throughout, but that's not easy in Sydney because the good ones here really fly at the gates and there is no letting up on the speed.

"Gai Waterhouse's filly Fashions Afield is very fast and it was never going to be a good idea to take her on in front."

Crutchley said Cassidy was confused and disappointed after the race.

Larry didn't know what to make of it, but he felt she did not really get the chance to show her best.

He said he was not happy about covering extra ground early, but felt he needed to be relatively handy.

Then just when he felt she was in a nice place he took hold of her and she started pulling.

"Personally, I felt she needed to be a fraction closer to the action and she probably wouldn't have pulled," Crutchley said.

"She's a funny thing and takes a bit of getting used to."

Crutchley knows he will have a fitter filly on Saturday week.

"She was a little too fresh and she's doing very well in the warmer weather here.

"Horses don't need as much feed here as we give them at home and that takes a bit of getting used to."

The Silver Shadow was won by the John Hawkes-trained Encosta de Lago filly Mnemosyne. who flashed down the outside to easily get past Fashions Afield inside the 200m.

Heavily-backed filly Opportunity pulled up lame and showing signs of respiratory distress.