Special Filly Set To Face Big Boys
Newcastle Herald
Friday April 9, 2004
SPECIAL Harmony has the chance to prove beyond doubt she is not just a powder-puff champion when she tackles the best three-year-olds in the land in tomorrow's AJC Australian Derby (2400metres) at Randwick.
The Lee Freedman-trained youngster is far too good for any other filly in Australia, but only the really great fillies have taken on and beaten the colts in elite races.
The old line about a good colt always beating a good filly usually rings true but maybe not this time.
And this derby has two good colts in top Queenslander Starcraft and Niello, which will be out to complete the triple crown of three-year-old racing: the Canterbury Guineas, the Rosehill Guineas and the derby.
Throw in the VRC Derby winner in Elvstroem and it is easy to see what a tough task Special Harmony is facing.
But the reason this filly can take on the blokes and beat them is more deep-seated than the fact she possesses a sparkling turn of foot.
Special Harmony has that acceleration that all great horses have, but she also possesses something many fillies do not killer instinct.
This miss has a win-at-all-costs attitude and is prepared to put her body on the line to get home first.
It was way back in the spring of last year when Freedman knew he had the filly which could become a derby winner.
It happened in the VRC Oaks, a group1 race, but one Special Harmony was expected to win because she had dominated against her own age group.
Things were going according to plan as Special Harmony jogged along in fifth spot.
But something happened when jockey Damien Oliver wanted to put his foot on the accelerator and let his filly cruise away as the field entered the long Flemington straight.
Rival jockey Danny Nikolic, aboard Dance Belltar, simply refused to move his mount out of the way of the favourite.
He legally tried to keep the short-priced filly in a pocket and looked as though he would succeed.
But Special Harmony was not going to let another moment of glory go by. She barged her way past Nikolic's mount and strode away to win as she liked.
She had the size and bulk to bludgeon her way out of trouble and did just that.
That blockbusting effort planted the seeds of a derby triumph in Freedman's mind.
From day one he knew that the $95,000 outlayed on the daughter of Spinning World and the Marooned mare Marooned Lady would be returned easily.
Now Freedman believes the big, strong and robust filly is on the verge of greatness.
``She has got that zip that sets the good ones apart," Freedman said.
``But it is like training a colt because you see she has such scope and size about her.
``Special Harmony is the one filly that I knew was able to cope with the tough rigours of taking on the colts in a derby."
Far from being a powder puff, Special Harmony is more like a powder keg ready to explode the myth that fillies are no match for the colts.
© 2004 Newcastle Herald
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