KEY POINTS:
Beautifully-bred 3-year-old filly Zavana lived up to her promising debut effort at Morphettville last month when she broke through to win at just her second start at Sandown.
The half-sister to 2004 Cox Plate winner Savabeel came from last to finish an eye-catching runner-up to Bella Leah over 1100m on Cox Plate day, beating subsequent Listed VRC Cadbury Roses winner Exalted Keetah into third place.
Easy in the betting at A$5 due to the slow six track rating, Zavana again settled back and finished strongly to score by a half-length from About Ready (A$4.20) with Ariarni (A$8) 2 lengths away third in yesterday's Blue Diamond Stakes 1st Acceptances Nov 25 Hcp (1200m).
The David Hayes-trained Encosta De Lago filly, ridden by Craig Williams, is owned by Gerry Harvey who bred her out of his Success Express mare Savannah Express. The latter's eight wins included two at Group One level, the New Zealand Oaks and the Ansett Australia Stakes.
"She'll have another run, then we'll freshen her up for the autumn," Hayes' assistant trainer Gary Fennessy said. "She's going in the right direction."
In Sydney, debutante Phenomenal Lass drew comparisons to former champion filly Victory Vein after she upset in the 2-year-old race at Randwick.
Phenomenal Lass is trained by Paul Murray whose father Bede prepared Victory Vein to multiple Group One wins including the 2002 Sires' Produce and Champagne Stakes.
"She is a natural," Murray said. "She has shown us everything that Victory Vein did and is even built like her".
Phenomenal Lass missed the start slightly but gathered momentum quickly. Schellscrape took the lead and with the favourite, Power Personified, weakening, Phenomenal Lass sprinted down the outside to win by 1 lengths.
Sutton Princess was another half-length third with Power Personified 5 lengths sixth.
