Scorched Earth winning at Murray Bridge (Image: Racing SA)
Despite a dominant last-start win in the Magic Millions SA Classic, trainer John Moloney thinks his rising star Scorched Earth still has a bit to prove when she tackles the $150,000 Listed Charter Keck Cramer Valley Pearl (1200m) at The Valley on Saturday.
Jess Eaton partnered the daughter of Nicconi to an all-the-way, 5.25-length winning performance in what was her third career start.
"It is hard to know what to expect with these young horses, it was impressive to the eye, but the time wasn't so great," Moloney explained.
"She has come through that run well and really didn't turn a hair."
With four 1200-metre races on the day at Murray Bridge, Moloney's filly's time of 1:10.73 was the third-quickest on the day.
WATCH: Scorched Earth wins the Magic Millions SA Classic
Scorched Earth has been impressive in her three race performances to date, which began in the Ballarat Magic Millions Clockwise Classic race where she closed well to finish fourth. She would then return 10 weeks later and finish second in the Blue Diamond Prelude behind Arcaded.
"She always showed in her trackwork she could do things very easy," Moloney said.
"She was still quite new at Ballarat but it's almost like she has come back and worked it all out and made that improvement."
Sportsbet has installed Scored Earth a $2.80 favourite for Saturday's race with Damien Oliver booked to ride from barrier five.
"He (Damien Oliver) rode her in a Geelong trial and liked her but he couldn't ride her in the Blue Diamond Prelude," Moloney said.
"I'm happy to be testing her in the race on Saturday, I think it is a better race with the colts, so it will be good to see what she might be capable of.
"She seems a very adaptable filly, she has been on two big tracks at Ballarat and Murray Bridge and handled Caulfield, which can be tricky.
"She doesn't have to lead, she begins so well, so I'd expect her up there and just riding her where she lands."
A $90,000 purchase at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Moloney believes his filly has the scope to continue to improve past her juvenile season.
"I had a mate say to me go have a look at this horse and I did and liked it, so ended up buying it," Moloney recalled.
"I think she has scope to develop further as a three-year-old and stretch out to the 1400 metres.
"I don't want to commit myself, but I'd say she would most likely go to the paddock and start having a think about the spring.
"The Jim Moloney is a race I am yet to have a runner in and would love to."
The Jim Moloney Stakes was introduced by the Melbourne Racing Club in 2018 in honour of Moloney's late father and Hall Of Fame trainer, who passed away in 2015.