Broadmeadow-trained mare Lucia Valentina showed any injury concerns were wide of the mark when she came fast and late to land the group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington on Saturday to cement her position as Caulfield Cup favourite.
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The four-year-old former Kiwi - a group 1 winner during the Sydney autumn carnival in the Vinery Stakes - showed she had made the transition to weight-for-age ranks in splendid style by coming from 10th at the 400-metre mark to score by half a length despite drifting in the market from opening quotes of $7 to start at $8.50.
Kerrin McEvoy found the gaps to switch through and see off the Peter Moody-trained pair Lidari ($18) and Brambles ($10), who had beaten off Entirely Platinum, who faded after leading to the 400-metre mark.
Puissance De Lune plugged on for fourth place with David Hayes' English import Stipulate fifth and Gai Waterhouse's Melbourne Cup contender The Offer running on for sixth in a race that has often proven a top pointer to the cups.
Green Moon won the race in 2012 en route to his Melbourne Cup triumph, while Happy Trails, successful in the 2013 Turnbull, ran second in the Cox Plate a few weeks later.
Lucia Valentina's price for the Caulfield Cup was cut from $10 to clear $6 favouritism by Sportsbet after the victory, and with 51 kilograms in the big race she will be a popular choice.
The mare suffered a hoof injury during the week and trainer Kris Lees admitted he had been concerned.
"It's never ideal when they have an issue midweek; she hasn't done any fast work since Tuesday. Of course I was concerned. She had a bit of heat in her foot. I rushed down Wednesday night, therefore we didn't work her Thursday morning, which might have been a blessing today.
"A win was a bonus. You don't want any setbacks in group 1 races. She had two relatively soft races coming into the race, so I would have liked to have stuck a bit more work into her. She's teaching me how to train her, making sure I don't gallop her too hard.
"It was a great ride from Kerrin. He put her in a perfect spot. She needed luck to get a bit of clear running and come at the right time and she was strong at the line.
"She will now go to the Caulfield Cup and we will assess from there."
Moody was a frustrated spectator as his two gallopers looked to have the race between them before Lucia Valentina's late intervention.
Simon O'Donnell of OTI, which owns the pair, said the camp would sleep on the result and see how the horses were on Sunday before making any decisions on their next assignments.
"We will have a chat tomorrow morning and see where we go," he said.
