Racing: Solar Charge feels the heat

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Obsequious produced the first major surprise of the new racing season as she swept aside odds-on favourite Solar Charged to claim the group three San Domenico Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.

In a spring pipe-opener for 3-year-olds expected to be dominated by the $1.85 hotpot Solar Charged and Golden Slipper runner-up Decision Time, it was the lightly-weighted Peter Snowden filly who provided racing superpower Darley with its first win in the 1000m feature.

"I'm not going to say the trainer wasn't confident but it will be a nice surprise for him," Darley Australia's general manager Henry Plumptre said.

"Peter doesn't think she'll get over a tremendous amount of ground but if they can win like that it doesn't really matter, does it?"

Snowden preferred Flemington to Randwick as his Saturday racing venue.

Sitting a length off Solar Charged, Obsequious drove underneath her rival as they swung for home and the daughter of Lonhro soon gained control for jockey Tim Clark before going on to beat the favourite by a length.

Decision Time ($4.20) was the first of the males home, finishing a further 2 lengths in arrears, with the Queenslander Spirit Of Boom fourth and Brightexpectations finishing fifth.

Solar Charged's jockey Corey Brown was almost nonplussed by her defeat. "She just didn't have that zip that she normally has ... even from the get-go." Obsequious is nominated for the Golden Rose but, because of her brilliance, she is unlikely to head towards the 1400m event. - AAP