There were no excuses for the beaten division when Le Fem Le Choix did things wrong but was still good enough to win the Lawn Pride Australia Maiden (1200m) at Ascot on Good Friday.
The Playing God filly was resuming from a six-month spell and there would have been some anxious moments for favourite punters when she refused to go into the gates for Steve Parnham. Once locked and loaded, she jumped on the speed and appeared vulnerable in the straight before getting home in a close finish from Bonditram (Bondi) and Jimmy Angel (Harry Angel).
“That was my first time on her and she’s a nice mover but was a bit hot today,” Parnham said. “She’s still on a learning curve and would have been better tracking one into the race. She was lost on the corner and was there to be beaten but got the job done. She’s talented and will take a fair bit out of that win because it’s only early days in her career.”
Le Fem Le Choix had been narrowly beaten by Heaven Specified (Playing God) at her only other outing at Northam in October and was backed from $7.50 into a $3.90 favourite first-up for Gingin trainer Meryl Hayley.
“She has shown us heaps at home and won a Belmont barrier trial last month,” Hayley said. “Willie (Pike) told me to remove the shades but that hasn’t made her any smarter. We will take a conservative route and just teach her something this prep.”
Le Fem Le Choix was Hayley’s third city winner in as many days following Maalis Song (Your Song) at Ascot and Golden Chatter (I’m All The Talk) at Belmont. And she joins a Playing God 3yo fillies division that includes LR Burgess Queen Stakes (1400m) winner Playin’it Sweet and Wednesday’s G3 WA Oaks (2400m) winner Wonderfully Made.
The Darling View champion sired her from Le Choix (Snippetson) who was restricted to just four starts for Pearce Racing. Her latest foal is an October colt by Lightsaber. Second-dam Jester Derriere (Patronize) is a half-sister to RL Magic Millions 2yo Classic winner The River (Magnus).
The Playing God – Snippetson cross has a 100% strike-rate from a half-dozen starters with the best of them being G3 WA Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) winner Lordhelpmerun.
