Exciting filly Cosmic Endeavour booked a start in the Group 1 Tatt’s Tiara on June 21 after making a successful Brisbane debut in the Group 2 Dane Ripper Stakes at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Australia’s first Lady Of The Turf, Gai Waterhouse clinched the quinella in the 1400-metre feature when Cosmic Endeavour downed her stablemate Driefontein by 1-3/4 lengths.
The Luke Priced-trained Belle De Coeur finished third, a further three-quarters of a length away.
Waterhouse, who saddled up runners in Sydney on Saturday, sent Cosmic Endeavour north following her decisive victory in the Inglis Guineas at Scone on May 17.
Stable foreman Mark Newnham predicted better things ahead in the spring for the daughter of Northern Meteor if she pleases her trainer.
“She’s had a fabulous time in Sydney and she showed through the autumn she’s going to be a really good mare,” he said.
“Even though she’s won on soft tracks she’s a lot sharper horse on top of the ground.
“She could develop into a Coolmore horse in the spring but first she’ll go into the Tatt’s Tiara in two weeks so long as Gai is happy with her.”
Newnham heaped praise on winning jockey Tommy Berry who was riding for the first time at Eagle Farm.
Berry. who returned from Hong Kong to ride at the Stradbroke meeting, won with his first ride earlier in the day aboard the Waterhouse-trained Sports Edition in the Listed Hampden Stakes.
“It was a great ride from Tommy,” Newnham said.
“Tommy knows the horses backwards and always gets the job done.”
Berry, who will soon return to ride fulltime in Sydney, was successful aboard Cosmic Endeavour in the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes at Randwick before taking up his Hong Kong contract.
“I won on her before I went to Hong Kong and it’s good to see she improved the form by winning at Scone,” Berry said.
“She’s very consistent and very relaxed and gives her heart and soul every time.
“She’s very adaptable. She can lead in her races or come from behind which is a plus.”
– Racing Queensland
