Driefontein overcame a slow start to win today’s listed Widden Stakes at Warwick Farm and continue her Golden Slipper preparation in style.

The filly was sent out the hot favourite but punters were worried early when the usual speedy youngster was slow to begin.

But they needn’t have worried with the daughter of Fastnet Rock finishing full of running on the inside of her rivals to win in good style.

The filly was starting for the first time since being awarded the recent $2 million BMW Magic Millions 2YO Classic on protest.

A $75,000 Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase for Denise Martin’s Star Thoroughbreds, Driefontein’s record now reads out at four wins from four starts and earnings of $1.36 million.

Trainer Gai Waterhouse was impressed with the victory – her classy youngster overcoming troubles to win nicely.

“Things didn’t go her way,” Waterhouse said. “That’s a silly little habit she has developed.”

“But I’lll tell you something – she was really tenacious the way she finished the race.”

“She had every excuse to be beaten. She had to do a little bustle early and I thought the horse on the outside was going to swoop and get her – but she said no way Jose.”

“She dug really deep,” she added. “She is such a good filly.”

Waterhouse said the Golden Slipper was the ultimate aim for Driefontein – but she wasn’t sure where and when she would run between now and Slipper day.

“I’ll have a think,” the Hall of Famer said. “We all know where we’re going don’t we – she’s got the prizemoney to be there – we’ll just shoot and breeze and work it out from there.”

Driefontein, a $75,000 purchase for team Star from the Widden Stud draft (on behalf of Bylong Park Thoroughbreds), is one of five winners, from five to race for the stakes winning mare Follow Gold.

A winner of two races at two, Follow Gold is a sister to the stakes winner Export Gold – the dam of Asian star Forest Gold.

Driefontein is one of 24 stakes winners for her sire Fastnet Rock – the sire of this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale top seller for $960,000.

Winner: Driefontein
Breeding: Fastnet Rock-Follow Gold (Export Price)
Race: ATC Widden Stakes LR (1100m)
Sold for: $75,000
Sale: 2011 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale
Vendor: Widden Stud (As Agent)
Buyer: Star Thoroughbreds
Earnings: $1,362,900
Owner(s): Mrs AM Howlett, AJ Bealing, DK Dong, LA King, Dr ET Hodgson, Mrs I Murphy, JAJ Allen, C Tohl & Mrs SA Hardie
Trainer: Gai Waterhouse (Randwick)