Winx’s half-sister City Of Lights has opened her account with a debut victory at Geelong, ironically it was nine years to the day her champion sister won on debut at Warwick Farm.
The three-year-old relation to four-time Cox Plate winner Winx ploughed through wet ground to win by more than a length.
The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained daughter of Japanese sire Deep Impact and Vegas Showgirl was strongest late in the 1418m maiden.
City Of Lights was held over from a 1400m race at Flemington on Saturday to contest the Geelong maiden.
???? | The half sister to champion mare Winx wins handily on debut for @FreedmanRacing
— Betfair Australia (@Betfair_Aus) June 4, 2023
Co-trainer Sam Freedman said the valuable filly would benefit from a short break with the ultimate goal to chase stakes’ races in the spring.
City Of Lights was the eighth foal out of Vegas Showgirl.
The ninth foal, Time Of My Life, a two-year-old by I Am Invincible, won two jump outs at Pakenham last month for trainer Peter Moody.
Winx was impressive when she made her debut charging home to win over 1100m at Warwick Farm on June 4, 2014 before following it up with a 1400m win at Rosehill.
Both those wins came under Jason Collett before Hugh Bowman aligned with the filly for the first time in taking out the Group 2 Furious Stakes at her third start.
Winx suffered her first defeat at her fourth race day outing when beaten by First Seal in the Tea Rose Stakes and that filly went on to beat Winx home at her next three outings as well.