Flying machine Fickle Folly ensured the trip home to Tamworth was a whole lot quicker for Sue Grills on Saturday.
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The speedy filly broke the renowned trainer’s TAB Highway hoodoo in majestic style courtesy of an all-the-way triumph at Rosehill.
“I’ve had four (Highway runners previously) and they’ve all run last,” Grills said post-race.
“I was nervous coming back, but I think this is a smart filly.
“It is a big relief to win.”
Fickle Folly ($11) justified that opinion as she led from go to whoa under jockey Tommy Berry and held off Zakynthos Regrets by a length in the $60,000 Class 2 Handicap (1100m).
The daughter of Nicconi was dropping back in trip after running herself into the ground first-up in the Queen of the North (1200m) at Port Macquarie on February 3.
Berry took Fickle Folly straight to the front and never looked back as she stopped the clock in a handy 1.04.53 on the Soft 5 track.
Grills praised the hoop’s positive ride.
“I left it up to Tommy whether he led or not,” she said.
“It was a super win, she knocked up at Port Macquarie, but seemed to be leading very easily today and Tommy had her travelling beautifully.
“I was half confident, but it’s a long way up that straight (and) with my (Highway) record I was very nervous, but that’s super.
“She’s a genuine sprinter.”
Fickle Folly banked a cool $43,330 in prizemoney for her Merriwa-based owners Paul and Belinda Frampton.
Grills added she would look to step Fickle Folly back up to the six furlong journey, quite possibly as soon as her next assignment.
Fickle Folly has now won three of her six career starts, reaping more than $80,000.
The Highway triumph capped a cracking day for the Grills stable at venues more than 600 kilometres apart.
As Grills was conducting a television interview with Sky Racing at Rosehill following Fickle Folly’s success, Blinkin Fast completed the second leg of a winning double for the trainer at Moree.
Blinkin Fast (Darren Jones) saluted in a 950m Class 2 Handicap, while it was the day for Carmel to break her maiden status.
Ridden by apprentice Melanie Bolwell, Carmel, a daughter of Dane Shadow, proved to be a stylish winner of the Beauty Matters Maiden Plate (1300m).