Racing: What can you say about this filly?

Lisa Allpress. Photo / Christine Cornege

We Can Say It Now over powered and embarrassed a quality field of proven weight-for-age performers when coasting to an effortless Group One victory in the $200,000 Captain Cook Stakes at Trentham yesterday.

We Can Say It Now is only a 3-year-old filly - but she has the physique and muscle tone of an equine bodybuilder - muscle and physical power oozing from a very big equine motor.

The daughter of Starcraft made a dream beginning from a wide barrier draw slotting straight into a dream sit one out and one back tracking the leaders Altered Image and Firebolt.

Lisa Allpress pulled the favourite out three wide at the top of the home stretch to challenge the leaders and the response was mouth watering as the filly lengthened stride quickly powering to the front and away from Group One company.

Allpress had an armchair ride over the closing 200m - her easiest career victory and first in Group One company as a jockey - leaving seasoned thoroughbred fans shaking their heads in amazement afterwards.

We Can Say It Now only had 51kg on her back and took full advantage of that pull in the weights pouncing on the leaders and lifting the equine intensity levels bursting clear with ease.

The favourite scored by four lengths over Mandela who burst out of the pack late to finish second a length clear of another determined finisher, Obsession (third).

"That was an amazing performance from her as there was that little bit of uncertainty if she would handle backing up just over seven days after winning a Group One 3-year-old race," said co-trainer Bjorn Baker after the race.

"It was always going to be a big risk backing her up in Group One company but she's shown she's an outstanding filly.

"It was a super ride from Lisa as she got her over into a great sit behind the leaders and put her into the race when the time was right."

The obvious question punters must ask themselves after the running of the Dean Hawthorne-sponsored event is how good a 3-year-old filly is We Can Say It Now?

Good enough to annihilate older, more experienced weight-for-age racehorses over 1600m - after only seven starts - and doing so with plenty in hand.

Or is the standard of weight-for-age racing currently in New Zealand so poor that 3-Year-Olds can effortlessly handle the step up in class and dominate?

We Can Say It Now is a class equine athlete - her physical presence resembles a colt or entire rather than a filly - and that power will be daunting for age group rivals.

The Murray and Bjorn Baker-trained had a magnificent win in the Levin Classic at Otaki.

Popular Allpress, 35, was accorded a warm reception for while she has won 39 black type races, a Group One success at home was elusive until yesterday.

Hong Kong-based owner Paul Makin was not present at Trentham but had pledged $25,000 to the Pike River relief fund.

Owners of a horse at Ellerslie called The Miner donated the winning stake of $5900 to the fund.

Bjorn Baker said We Can Say It Now would go for a spell and would probably head to Melbourne in the autumn, with the Australian Guineas a possible target.

- Additional reporting NZPA