With only four three year old fillies in his stable, Pat Carey achieved the remarkable feat of having two runners in today's Crown Oaks at Flemington.

Even more remarkably, he was able to win with Arapaho Miss, while Royale Harmony ran fourth.

"They shot away together", said Carey.

"I knew that they'd be strong and it was pretty good going into the last furlong knowing that there wasn't a lot of difference between them although Arapaho Miss was the more dour type of filly and it probably showed at the end of the mile and a half."

"Royale Harmony ran an exceptional race."

"For a moment I thought they were going to quinella the event."

"Both horses ran right up to their best on the day."

The well backed Arapaho Miss ($8.00-$8.50-$7.00) stayed on strongly to win by 2 lengths from Serious Speed ($4.80-$6.00) with 4 lengths to Marjorie ($41).

The favourite Zarita ($5.00) was eighth, while Riva San, the other other equal second favourite with Serious Speed, finished seventh.

Winning jockey Corey Brown made up somewhat for missing out on a chance in the Melbourne Cup aboard Maybe Better, which was a late scratching.

"In transit I had a perfect run", Brown said.

"They went quite hard going out of the first turn and then they backed off the tempo."

"Coming to the 600 all I needed was a little bit of luck to get through runners and I ended up diving back to the inside because I couldn't get out wide."

Brown did so with some trepidation after being beaten on Sandton earlier in the day after leading on the rails with her.

"I was on a beaten favourite earlier and I traveled on the fence in front", he said.

"Since then everyone's starting to get off and I had to go half against the pattern and dive back to the inside."

However he had few concerns in the closing stages of the race, saying:

"She was going away from them at the finish."

"To Pat Carey's credit, he's done a great job with this horse and I think its onwards and upwards for her."

An inexpensive purchase by syndicator Dean Humpries Clanbrooke Racing as a yearling at the 2006 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Arapaho Miss proved that you don't need to spend a fortune to get a Group 1 winner.

"Its the other end of the scale and the horses are out there", said Carey.

"A Danehill Dancer filly bought for $22,000. I think he stands for $110,000."

"Shrewd buy."

"Kevin Dagg picked the horse out for him and here she is today."

Arapaho Miss was bred and sold at the sales by Tony Santic, owner of the great Makybe Diva, proving that even the luckiest breeders sometimes sell their best stock cheaply.

For Carey, his first ever Group 1 win means a lot.

"You're in Melbourne. You're in your home town", he said.

"You spend every day from the time you're 12 years old thinking that one day you might stand in the mounting yard at Flemington being a part of the Melbourne Cup Carnival and enjying all the success."

"That's what it means to me."

Photos: Quentin Lang

© Cyberhorse 2010 Bill Saunders Published 08/11/07