Lady Laguna claims hotly-contested Mick Dittman Plate
The Mick Dittman Plate stood as a contest of great three-year-old talent and the race showed exactly that.
The Mark Currie-trained horse End Assembly went forward with Lady Laguna from the gates before race favourite Chinny Boom took over at the front with Golden Boom hunting beside him.
Bezique came through to contest with Chinny Boom in cover before the halfway mark that saw the other Gollan-trained Spiritualised challenge.
On the turn Chinny Boom came through before fading to the rear.
The heavily fancied Lady Laguna popped through a middle passage under hoop Damien Thornton with Swiss Exile out wide but it was the Annabel Neasham-trained Lady Laguna winning.
2023 Listed Mick Dittman Plate Replay – Lady Laguna
Neasham took the winning quinella with Swiss Exile under Brodie Loy finishing second ahead of Lubrication.
Lady Laguna, a filly by Overshare out of Catalina De Lago now has a career of 3-2-5 from 15 career starts with prize money now passing $500,000.
Todd Pollard, Annabel Neasham’s Assistant Trainer at Eagle Farm, spoke highly of the pair and their performances in the Listed race.
“I thought Swiss Exile looked like the winner storming down the outside but Lady Laguna poked her head through and just needed the split at the right time.
“Annabel was confident with sending the two up today. Obviously, Sydney form they have been running behind some nice horses down there but you have to respect the Queenslander sprinters, it looks like a great crop of three-year-olds here, so it definitely was not an easy task.
“They both ran very well. That’s her first Stakes win so its great for the colours and we look forward to seeing what else she can do throughout the Carnival.”