Bailey On To A Good Thing With Our Design
- Wednesday, 05 October 2011 05:45
Alan Bailey sensed he was onto something big when he won a spirited sale ring duel against prominent breeder Sir Patrick Hogan at last year's New Zealand Premier sales.
An impressive-looking Stratum filly caught Bailey's eye and eventually she was knocked down to him for $250,000.
That filly, Our Design, scored her first win from three starts when she led all the way to trounce her opposition by 4-3/4 lengths in the www.brc.com.au Maiden Plate (1350m) at Doomben on Wednesday.
Bailey has a big opinion of Our Design and sent her to Sydney for her debut at Canterbury on September 7.
However, Our Design could manage only sixth to Shadow West in a 1200-metre fillies Maiden before Bailey brought her back to Brisbane to finish second to Strip Show in a 1350-metre Maiden at Doomben a fortnight later.
"We thought she could win her first start in Sydney but the track was wet," Bailey said.
"She was all at sea so we brought her home."
Bailey believes Our Design is destined for bigger things and a winter carnival campaign next year looks the obvious option.
"I've got a very good opinion of her," the normally reserved Bailey said.
"She's one of the nicest fillies I've had for some time.
"She's got the makings of being a very good filly later on and she should get to 1600 metres."
Bailey recalled the sale ring battle he had with Sir Patrick, one of Australasia's biggest and most successful breeders when he was in charge of Cambridge Stud in New Zealand.
"I must have been on the right track when I started bidding against him," Bailey said.
"He (Hogan) ended up being the underbidder on this filly."
Our Design's time of 1:19.82 was fractionally outside the class record but it could easily have been lowered had jockey Glen Colless extended her.
Colless, who pulled up distressed after battling a stomach bug, felt Our Design had a bright future and believed she'd be better off ridden off the pace.
"It wasn't our intention to lead and she's better off taking a sit," Colless said.
"She's a real nice filly and she'll be even better next preparation."
