Group Three Winner for Sebring

Melbourne – Golden Slipper winner Sebring has started the new season with a bang thanks to highly promising filly Kiss a Rose, who scored a scintillating last to first win in the Group III  MRC Quezette Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.

An eye-catching winner on debut at Caulfield last December, Kiss a Rose returned in the autumn but was sidelined with a virus Peter Moody revealed before the race.

The extended lay off now looks a blessing in disguise as Kiss a Rose settled at the tail of the field before unleashing a withering run for Vlad Duric to surge home and take the 1100 metre dash by a head over stakes-winning filly Metastasio.

“He rode her patiently and it was a very similar to her first win,” said Moody.

“She’ll head to the Thousand Guineas, but I think she’s really more an autumn filly, so whatever she does this spring is a bonus.”

Kiss a Rose was a $180,000 Magic Millions purchase for Cameron Cooke Bloodstock from the draft of Raheen Stud and runs for Mr and Mrs Les Cowell.

“She’s bred by the Nolan family and raced by the Cowell family, so there’s a Queensland flavour there,” Moody added.

Kiss a Rose has already won over $100,000 in prizemoney with the promise of much more to come.

“She quickened up super impressive,” said winning rider Vlad Duric.

“She settles beautifully, conserves her energy and has a great turn of foot.”

Kiss a Rose is the first foal of stakes-placed Redoute’s Choice mare Hurl, a daughter of stakes-winner Quarante Love from the family of Group I winning sprinters Accomplice and With Me.

The pedigree is an interesting one as it features a 4 x 3 double cross of Danehill (USA) and Canny Lad, a mix that will give pedigree students food for thought.

Hurl was covered again by Sebring last spring.

Kiss a Rose is the fourth stakes-winner for Sebring and is his first of the new season, the son of More Than Ready (USA) set to cover a full book this spring at $38,500.