Gotta Kiss confirms bona fides for winter

Gotta Kiss has scored a last-stride win at Doomben as she heads towards plum winter carnival races.

Smart filly Gotta Kiss overcame a bout of pre-race nerves to return to the winners’ list and stamp her winter credentials at Doomben.

The Steve 0’Dea-trained Gotta Kiss and Tony Gollan’s Isotope are the considered the best two-year-old fillies in Queensland and are set to meet in some of the feature races later in the winter.

Gotta Kiss ran third to Isotope when first-up at the Sunshine Coast two weeks ago.

O’Dea was confident Gotta Kiss would be fitter for the Sunshine Coast run and she was sent out a $1.90 favourite.

Gotta Kiss sweated badly before the start but was able to sit midfield before running down promising gelding Goldsborough ($3.80) in the Roku Gin Handicap (1110m).

Early in her career, Gotta Kiss was ridden for pace but O’Dea has always maintained she would be better off the pace.

“We have always said she would be better with a sit and in her trial and two runs this time is how we have ridden her,” O’Dea said.

Gotta Kiss is likely to press on to the Group Two Champagne Classic on May 23 and Group One JJ Atkins on June 6.

She is set to meet Isotope in both races which are at Eagle Farm where she has won twice.

Gotta Kiss cost $150,000 at the Magic Millions Yearling Sales and has now returned $206,000 which is more than enough to qualify her for the JJ Atkins.