One More Honey causes Sweet upset

Heavy rain and a downgrade of the Randwick track to heavy has had little effect on One More Honey, which is in the frame for the Golden Slipper after victory in the Sweet Embrace Stakes.

Trainer John Thompson said the decision on whether to pay the late entry fee for the Slipper would be left to the filly’s owner, Nasser Lootah.

Saturday’s Vale Edgar Britt Sweet Embrace (1200m), honouring the late jockey who died recently aged 103, was run on a heavy track after steady rain from early morning, but One More Honey defied expectations to win as a $21 chance.

Ridden by Jay Ford, One More Honey produced a strong finishing sprint to overhaul Melbourne filly Arctic Angel ($5.50) and win by a length.

The previously unbeaten Teaspoon ($6) finished third, a short head behind the runner-up.

“She’s not in the Slipper and it will be up to the owner if she goes there,” Thompson said.

“I was confident she would get through the ground.

“She is a very professional two-year-old who gives 110 per cent and I think she will be ideal over the 1400 metres of the Sires’ Produce.

“But the owner isn’t here today so we’ll wait and see.”

Ford said One More Honey gave him confidence before the race that she would handle the track.

“She glided through it on the way to the barriers and just got on with things,” he said.

The heavy track prompted Thompson to scratch star mare First Seal from the Guy Walter Stakes (1400m).

“She’s first-up and we don’t want to give her a hard run on a heavy track at the beginning of her preparation,” he said.

“It would just be too hard on her.”