Fastnet Filly Powers into Slipper

The bright pink cerise colours of the Ingham family burst through the grey and gloom at Randwick on Saturday when carried to victory in the Group III ATC Sweet Embrace Stakes by fast finishing Jade Marauder (2f Fastnet Rock x Jade Diva, by Jade Robbery), a $500,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the draft of Yarraman Park. A talented daughter of red hot sire Fastnet Rock, Jade Marauder kicked off her career with a third in the Listed ATC Gimcrack Stakes in the spring, but has looked a stronger filly this preparation scoring her first win at Canterbury on January 28 before an unlucky second at Rosehill last month. Despite being a tad slow to jump and settling down at the rear, Jade Marauder made ground through the field for Hugh Bowman and when she got clear running was able to overhaul the leaders and win the 1200 metre sprint by a long neck. “We’ll have to sort out her barrier manners in the next three weeks, but she’s a pretty smart filly,” said her trainer Chris Waller. “Apart from the start, she’s a bombproof racehorse and a pressure race like the Slipper with the speed on will suit her.” Winning rider High Bowman was impressed with the filly and believes she has a big future. “She got further back than I anticipated, but she was more tractable today when we started to make ground,” he said. “She deserves her chance at the Slipper and will finish in the first half of the field, but I think she’ll be even better in the spring.” Foaled and raised at Yarraman Park, Jade Marauder is the second stakes-winner for stakes-winner Jade Diva and is a three-quarter sister to top class filly Bliss Street, a Group III winner in WA at two and again Melbourne in the spring. Jade Marauder is the 29th stakes-winner for Fastnet Rock, who was also in the frame last night at Moonee Valley when his three year-old son Highly Recommended (3c Fastnet Rock x Suggestive, by Al Hareb) took out the Group II MVRC Alister Clark Stakes.