Pontiana makes it look easy

Pontiana made the transition from provincial class to Sydney Saturday grade look ridiculously easy with an accomplished all-the-way win at Rosehill Gardens yesterday.

The boom filly jumped brilliantly, dictated terms in front and dominated the 1200m Bacardi Breezer Handicap, defeating a smart field of three-year-old fillies.

She became the third highly promising three-year-old to emerge from the stables of Team Hawkes in 24 hours -- at Geelong on Friday they also produced impressive first-starter Spring Bound and Makybe Diva's half-brother Shadowofexcellence to finish an eye-catching debut third.

Pontiana, a $225,000 Easter Sales yearling, is a daughter of champion sire Redoute's Choice and she improved her record to two wins from as many starts.

"This was a big test for her today but she is a promising filly," said Michael Hawkes, who trains Pontiana in partnership with his brother Wayne and their father, John.

"She is still very immature and has needed time to develop. That's the reason we didn't push her to get to the races as a two-year-old."

Pontiana, well backed in to $5.50, had 1 1/4 lengths to spare from Daughter O'Fortune ($6) who chased in vain all the way, with a similar margin to the luckless Zutara ($5).

The winner dashed over the Rosehill 1200m in a tick over 1min 10sec and broke 34sec for her final 600m even though apprentice Josh Adams had eased up well before the finish.

"There is no doubt she is well above average," Hawkes said. "But we will just take her through the grades for now and see how far she can go in the spring."

When asked if Pontiana was a chance to run in the Group I $400,000 Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on October 2, Hawkes was non-committal.

"We haven't ruled anything out, it's there, but in saying that she is going to have to prove herself ready for a race like that," he said.

Hawkes also said they bought Pontiana's full-brother at this year's Easter Sales for $700,000 and named him Revenge.

Ray Thomas