The camp of eye-catching three-year-old Tempted feels confident she may prove superior to Bella Nipotina, the latter having secured almost $19 million and an Everest win across her brilliant run.
“She is pretty special,” trainer Ciaron Maher’s assistant, Johann Gerard-Dubord said.
“I would quote Craig Williams when he jumped off her after the Everest. He said, ‘I love Bella (Nipotina), but she might be even better’. That’s how good she could be.”
The filly’s resumption win offered scant opposition as she routed her foes in the Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) on Saturday at Randwick, cruising behind the pace before asserting superiority with ease.
In a show of utter authority, $1.60 favourite Chad Schofield idled up Tempted in the closing stages for a 1-1/4 lengths success over Napoleonic ($6.50), while late-closing Wodeton ($5) nabbed third, further back by 1-3/4 lengths.
Without a Group 1 on her record, Tempted ran second to star sprinter Ka Ying Rising in The Everest (1200m) previous spring, and Gerard-Dubord highlighted her robust preparation this time.
“When you run second in the Everest as a spring three-year-old, and running through the line, you know you’ve got a pretty special horse,” he said.
“She came back looking magnificent. Last prep, it took her a couple of runs to clean up in the coat but this time, from day one when she came back, she couldn’t look any better.
“Everything has been very smooth. Her target is the Surround (Stakes) in three weeks, which is why we elected to run this week. She would have been better placed against the fillies next week, but the three-week gap works out better.”
Tempted’s program beyond the Surround Stakes (1400m) is undecided, featuring the TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) as a prime contender.
“All options are open. She is just so talented, and she relaxes so well, distance won’t be an issue,” Gerard-Dubord said.
Securing his maiden race ride on Tempted, Chad Schofield anticipated the modest field size might spark a speed duel and acted swiftly to dominate.
“My two dangers were drawn to my inside, and I knew they were not going to let me in easily. So, I pinged her out (of the barriers), got her across and I was able to just control the race,” Schofield said.
“That was a lot of fun. She’s an aeroplane, really.”
Victory for Tempted heralds a thrilling rivalry with top rival Apocalyptic in upcoming Surround Stakes action. See the betting markets for the race covering the Eskimo Prince Stakes.
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