Tempted surges clear in Group 2 Reisling Stakes
Godolphin filly Tempted ($2.80) has proven too classy for the girls in the Group 2 Reisling Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday afternoon, surging clear to secure a stunning victory and booking her ticket to the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m).
The daughter of Street Boss put the writing on the wall after a luckless effort in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) on February 22, running up behind a wall of horses in the two-year-old classic.
She couldn’t have been more impressive returning to Sydney on Saturday, with the James Cummings-trained galloper producing a barnstorming run down the centre of the course.
She was suited by a genuine tempo courtesy of Bel Merci ($7.50) who looked to travel beautifully under Chad Schofield, while the John Sargent-trained debutant Nullarbor Jane ($11.00) was able to land on the leaders’ back from barrier 11.
Marhoona ($10.00) loomed large in the concluding stages after landing the one-one throughout, while favourite backers with horse racing bookmakers would’ve been nervous as McDonald found cover in at the back-half of the field.
Marhoona hit the front with 200m left to travel, but Tempted was breathing down her neck before surging to the top to claim a dominant win in the 2025 Reisling Stakes.
James Cummings was on course to break down the win and confirm what’s next for the two-year-old filly.
“We’ll get the opportunity to let the dust settle and see how this lines up amongst all of the lead-ups,” said Cummings.
“But I like that she’s come out of the Blue Diamond, she’s not taken a backward step from there.
“She’s just freshened up beautifully at the farm between runs and we’ve barely done much with her, yet she’s been able to deliver off the back of a strongly run six furlong race here at Randwick.
“Floated home up the middle, perfectly to plan, she’ll step off that and she can go right into the Slipper with a sail full of momentum and an absolute truckload of confidence.
“You get a draw in a race like that, it makes a big difference. But she’s had the seasoning, she’s got the attitude for it. There’s a bit of jostling at the back of the field and she could cope with that to hold her spot.”
James McDonald was impressed with the performance as he spoke post-race.
“Yeah, she was really good,” said McDonald.
“She’s a proper genuine chance in two weeks’ time for sure.
“I thought I was going to see the outside fence for a little bit, I was getting shunted a little bit.
“She’s a professional, she’s very similarly to her mum (Calliope). Her mum was a little rocket, but she’s got a better head on her shoulders, so that’ll take her a long way.”
Tempted is now a $11.00 chance with BlondeBet for the Group 1 Golden Slipper on March 22.
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