Improving mare Off The Deep End ($17) claimed an emphatic maiden victory on her home track on Wednesday, bolting away from her rivals to record a big win. The daughter of Deep Field was ridden with intent from the outset by jockey Jack Hill, settling at the girth of race leader Son Of Grace ($7) from the sixteen-hundred metre chute, appearing to travel sweetly throughout. The four-year-old moved up to eyeball that galloper approaching the home bend, who quickly gave in as the heat was applied and the race was on in earnest. Hill went for home on straightening, with odds-on favourite Spiritual Thinker ($1.65) looking the only danger at the furlong marker. But the challenge was short-lived, as Off The Deep End kicked into gear and raced away in the closing stages, Hill easing up on the line to hold a margin of four lengths. The in-form hoop was pleased with how the race took shape. “I thought we rolled along at a nice-enough tempo. She gave a good kick at the top of the straight, and held that gallop all the way to the line. I was really happy with her”.
Henry echoed the thoughts of Hill post-race. “She travelled so well to the corner, if she found anything she was going to be very hard to beat from there.
“You’d have to think there’s a nice bit of upside there now that she’s shown a performance like that”.
Henry indicated the mare will step out in trip for her next start. “We’ll find something over seventeen or eighteen-hundred metres next time, I think she’ll get all of two-thousand metres”.
Off The Deep End’s maiden win came at just her third race start, having remained unraced until this, her four-year-old season.