High-priced Estijaab impresses on debut

Estijaab races up to her expensive price tag as a yearling with a dominant win at Randwick.

Expensive filly Estijaab has lived up to her breeding with an emphatic debut at Randwick which has put her firmly in line for the major juvenile races.

By champion sire Snitzel out of dual Group One winner Response, Estijaab is raced by Emirates Park which paid $1.7 million for the filly at last year’s Easter Sale.

Trained by Hawkes Racing, which also prepared Mossfun for Emirates Park principal Nasser Lootah to win the 2014 Golden Slipper, Estijaab is now at the top of markets for next month’s Blue Diamond Stakes in Melbourne and on the third line of betting for the Slipper in March.

Co-trainer Michael Hawkes said they would take it one step at a time but he was obviously pleased with the way she handled her first start on Saturday.

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“It’s only her first start and it’s just a Saturday two-year-old race but when you’ve got a filly by a Group One winner out of a dual Group One winner then the expectation is there,” Hawkes said.

“Brenton (Avdulla) had to use her a bit at the start so she’s done it at both ends which is a good sign.

“There is no set plan and we will take it one step at a time heading to the Slipper.”

Avdulla worked Estijaab, the $3.40 favourite, to the front out of the barrier and she was never headed, holding off Dio D’Oro by four lengths with another 2-1/4 lengths to Tell No Tales (17).

Avdulla said Estijaab was the best two-year-old filly he’s ridden this season and up with the other major contenders for the big races.