A plan devised more than two months previous came to fruition when Perfectly Written scored a dashing win in the Group 2 $50,000 Empire Stallions Vicbred Platinum Home Grown Classic Final (1720m) for harness racing three-year-old fillies at Melton last Friday night.
Owned by former dashing Sheffield Shield cricketer Paul Nobes and his wife Karen, and trained at Globe Derby Park by Lance Holberton, Perfectly Written started at the big odds of $53.20 and was driven by Jason Lee.
The filly scored by three and a half metres from Missing Mary ($70.70) with Dougs Limousine ($35.60) two metres away third.
“I was really happy with her going into the final and when she settled on the back of the leader I was confident she would be a key player in the finish,” Holberton said.
“It was fantastic to go to Melton and take off a feature event.
“Credit goes to Paul, he picked out this race nine weeks ago and that has been her goal, so again, it is great to have a perfect finish to a plan.”
Perfectly Written added to her breeding value with the black type win, and also with the news that her dam, Perfechson, passed away earlier this year.
The filly’s story started late last year when Nobles and Holberton went to Menangle in New South Wales to watch a Ready to Run sale.
“Paul really liked her after watching her work and paid $85,000 to get her,” Holberton said.
“He had Mark Dennis going well in Sydney at the time so left the filly there and she won her first two starts, the second being a heat of the Pink Bonnet.”
Holberton said the filly had gone poorly in the final and been turned out for a spell. It was at this time the decision was made to bring her to Adelaide.
“We took a while to get her right, then Paul said he had seen this race at Melton which was for fillies which had no won in excess of $10,000, and she was at $9000 so it was perfect.
“After a trial here we ran her twice at Kilmore and finished fifth each time but really didn’t handle the home turn.
“I mucked around with her gear and on Friday night was sure she could be competitive.”
Holberton said he had brought Perfectly Written home and would freshen her up before embarking on a program which might lead to the South Australian Oaks early next year during the SA Cup carnival.
by Graham Fischer