My Only HopeClassy Redoute's Choice filly My Only Hope achieved only the second win of her career in the Dot Brown Handicap at Caulfield this afternoon.

Trainer Danny O'Brien made it a clean sweep of the first two races when Stephen Arnold drove My Only Hope ($7.50) from second last on the home turn to win by a long neck going away from Pantenny ($26) with the early leader, Mistake Creek ($6.50), hanging on for third placing, 1¼ lengths away.

Steven Arnold"She's got a bit of quality", said Arnold.

"She's got some performances against some of the good ones."

After mixing it with the best fillies in the land last Spring, My Only Hope looked as if she would do well in the Autumn with a fast finishing third behind plunge horse Universal Queen at Moonee Valley in early February.

However, her next two runs at Moonee Valley and Caulfield were very ordinary, causing O'Brien to give her a three week break between races.

"Last start was a bit disappointing but Danny's freshened her up and she hit the line strongly", Arnold continued.

Danny O'Brien"We really had to put that in the unexplained file", said O'Brien who had expected My Only Hope to race better at her last two starts.

It may be that the rain affected track combined with the weaker class of today's race helped the filly to win.

"With the wet track here today it was just her class that got her home."

Now that she has struck winning form, O'Brien will try and win a stakes race with her for owner/breeder Bill Gurry.

"We may head up to Sydney with her", O'Brien said.

"There's the Listed PJ Bell for fillies up there. She's stakes placed multiple times but she hasn't won one yet."

My Only HopeMy Only Hope was named after Gurry had bad luck with her dam, Cantenac.

The well bred but moderately performed Cantenac, was purchased by Gurry for $220,000 at the 1999 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.

Cantenac was a big disappointment as a racehorse, winning only a Cranbourne maiden in a two start career. However My Only Hope suggests that Cantenac may redeem herself in the breeding barn.

My Only HopeSince going to stud in 2002, Cantenac has produced My Only Hope, now a two time city winners and stakes placed three times in the VRC Edward Manifold Stakes (Group 2), VRC Vanity Stakes (Group 3) and the MRC Tranquil Star Stakes (Group 3).

She also has a Flying Spur weanling filly and is in foal to More Than Ready.

My Only Hope's granddam is Burletta, Group 1 winner of 16 races and New Zealand Filly of the Year and Top filly on The 1983-84 Australasian 3YO Classification.

Photos: Fiona Tomlin

© Cyberhorse 2024 Bill Saunders Published 24/03/07