DARLEY trainer Peter Snowden will resist the temptation to send promising filly Country Club to Melbourne for the Blue Diamond Stakes, despite the daughter of Lonhro impressing with a debut win at Randwick yesterday.
Country Club camped behind the lead under the guidance of Kerrin McEvoy before pouncing midway down the straight and racing to an easy win.
McEvoy considered himself lucky to be riding after a barrier incident in the opening race nearly ended in disaster.
"When the gates opened early the horse I was on [Hasta Pronto] reared up and I came off," he said.
"I ended up on the ground and stayed down, which was lucky because the horse then kicked out. If I'd gotten up he would have collected me."
Snowden said Country Club would be aimed at the Golden Slipper, as will Foreign News, which impressed in winning the two-year-olds colts' and geldings' race yesterday.
"The Blue Diamond comes around too quick," said Snowden when asked if the group 1 was an option.
"We're already almost through December and it is in mid-February.
"It would mean she would have another couple of runs before that race and have to travel to Melbourne in between time.
"It is just too much of an ask for a filly like her - that is in her first preparation. And if you go to the Blue Diamond, then you are pretty much ruling out coming back for the Golden Slipper.
"She'll have to go and have about three weeks off now and then we'll get her back and look at the races on the way to the Golden Slipper.
"I don't know if she's up to that standard but we'll certainly have a go and we'll soon find out."
Country Club ($2.50) won by 1¾ lengths from the Lee Freedman-trained Tariks ($9) with a neck to outsider Break Card ($51) in third.
McEvoy expected Country Club to come on further from the run.
"You'd think she will improve even more after that effort. Peter's horses have a habit of getting better with a run under their belt," he said.
"She is as professional as they come and I think that was a pretty strong two-year-old race today.
"The form should hold up out of it."
The Garry White-prepared first-starter Foreign News was ridden by Jim Cassidy, who rated the gelding as "as smart a two-year-old as I've ridden".
"He jumped well and relaxed in front and I was always travelling sweetly," Cassidy said.
"I don't want to count my chickens before they hatch but I'll tell you what, he's going to be going places."
Foreign News ($14) won by a half-neck from Shellscrape ($2.70) with 2¾ lengths to Hasta Pronto ($2.60).
"I though he'd win today," White said. "Now I'll give him three weeks off and then bring him back and head towards the Golden Slipper.
"I've got a big opinion of him."