Divine Quality impressive in first-up win

Divine Quality has finally lived up to her stable’s lofty expectations with a runaway victory in a stakes race at Flemington.

Having her first start since July, Divine Quality took out the Group Three Furphy Sprint on Saturday.

Ridden by Beau Mertens, Divine Quality ($26) scored a widening 3-1/4 length victory from Booker ($13) with I Am Excited ($5) a long-neck away third.

Trainer Robbie Griffiths said the mare lacked maturity despite winning three of her 13 starts prior to Saturday’s success.

“Even though she’s a five-year-old she still doesn’t look fully mature yet and that’s why we’ve raced her very sparingly,” Griffiths said.

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“Everything she’s done has been late in the season and that’s why she was late starting the carnival.

“We picked out this race and thought it would be a good starting point for her.

“We seem to end up in the other seasons, not the traditional spring and autumn because of her growth and development, but she smashed them today and she put away a pretty high class field.”

Griffiths said Divine Quality could be freshened for a shot at the Standish Handicap at Flemington on New Year’s Day, but long term he’s pencilled in the Group One Sangster Stakes at Morphettville in May.

“That’s what we were hoping for this year but she wasn’t mature enough,” Griffiths said.

“If she can repeat what she’s done today she’s going to make a great record for herself.”