Fillydelphia burst into contention for the Group One Queensland Oaks when she beat the boys in today’s Group Three Rough Habit Plate (2020m) at Doomben.

Trained by Robert Heathcote, Fillydelphia unleashed a powerful burst in the straight to feel in the leaders and then establish a winning break.

For Heathcote the win gave him great satisfastion, knowing the filly had always possessed well above average ability,

“I’ve been saying for a fair while now that she’s got it,” Heathcote said moments after the win.

“She’s always been a potential Oaks horse.”

“I probably feel a little for Larry (Cassidy, former rider),” Heathcote added.

“He’s done a lot of work on her. After her last couple of runs I had to make a really tough decision.”

“I took the blinkers off of her and took Larry off her. I told him it was nothing against his riding – it’s just we need to change our luck.”

“We knew how well she was going,” Heathcote summed up.

A daughter of Swettenham Stud’s regally bred Danzig sire Bianconi, Fillydelphia is the 16th stakes winner for her sire.

She is the sole runner to date for her dam, the once winning Encosta de Lago mare Edel Vanessa.

Fillydelphia is now a five time winner from just 14 starts and she’s earned her connections over $167,000 – not bad for a filly who could have been yours for just $18,000 at the 2009 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Bianconi has two yearlings catalogued for June’s National Yearling Sale – one them a three quarter sister to his multiple stakes winner Classiconi.

Winner: Fillydelphia (Bianconi-Edel Vanessa)
Race: BTC Rough Habit Plate G3 (2020m)
Passed for: $14,000
Sale: 2009 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale
Vendor: Wattle Brae Stud
Reserve: $18,000
Earnings: $167,800
Owner(s): Mr FG Wolber & Ms PM Stephens
Trainer: Robert Heathcote (Eagle Farm)

PICS – Dan Costello.