First Group race winner this season could be heading for the top

Even though the quality of racing is not as strong as we will see in the coming weeks, the opening Saturday of the season is always a day to enjoy. New beginnings with dreams for the season ahead at every level. We could have seen one today who is going to go on to much better things later in the spring.

Right To Party took a while to click

She has always looked like a mare with plenty of talent but after nine career starts, she had just a single win on her resume. There were some solid runs so it is not like she was struggling to make an impact. She was just not quite clicking to the same level that she now is.

In that time, she had finished third in a Group 3 as well as having a second, a third and a fourth in Listed races. She didn’t run from December until May and those five months off to strengthen up have been the making of her. She has been able to take her form in 2024 to new heights with the removal of blinkers.

Coming of age in 2024

She began 2024 in May with a runner-up effort in the Group 3 Proud Miss at Morphettville. That was the last time that any horse had beaten her in a race, notching up a hat-trick of successes on Saturday afternoon at Flemington.

All three of those wins have come on the straight track at Headquarters so connections have found the key to her. The first of those was in a three-year-old quality where she was the only one of the first four home to come from a single figure draw. The runner-up that day was third in the Group 3 Bletchingly last week.

Next up was a Listed win in the Creswick Sprint Series Final. She clocked a solid time for the level that day, improving with every run in 2024. The third that day won a good handicap last week to again frank the level of form that she has been showing.

Aurie’s Star Handicap win

We tipped up Right To Party as our Saturday next best but we mentioned that Zarastro with a soft lead on the front end would be hugely dangerous. In a small field, Zarastro indeed had a soft enough time of things on the front end and when Jamie Kah said go 300m from the post, he skipped a couple of lengths clear.

The second and fourth were the first and second throughout most of the race. They had the run of things on the back end so for Right To Party to still be sat last of the eight when they passed the 400m mark makes this more remarkable.

Switched right, close to the stand rail, she showed a superb turn of foot to salute with a fair chunk in hand. She went into the race rated 86 and it might be worth minding her rating a little bit.

With races like the Newmarket in the Autumn being a handicap, it can help her as the season progresses. We fully expect her to make the step up into Group 1 races later in the season and make an impact.

There is a massive gulf in class from an early season Group 3 to a middle of the season Group 1. Despite that, Right To Party has given herself the chance to have a go at a higher level. The Anthony Freedman-trained mare could be top-notch.