Well-related filly Spirit of Heaven posted a timely win when she made a winning debut...

Well-related filly Spirit of Heaven posted a timely win when she made a winning debut in today’s $35,000 2014 Blue Diamond Nominate Now Plate (1000m) at Sportingbet Park, reports Racing Victoria.

The daughter of Savabeel unveiled an explosive finishing burst to score an impressive victory just days after older three-quarter-sister Lights of Heaven was retired from racing.

The symbolism was not lost of Peter Moody, who trains Spirit of Heaven and also put the polish on Lights of Heaven.

“We retired Lights of Heaven this week, so this is a fitting win,” the Caulfield horseman said.

Just like Lights of Heaven, who made the racing world sit up and take notice when she stormed home from last down the outside rail to score at just her second start, Spirit of Heaven announced herself with a Sandown statement.

Jockey Luke Nolen settled her just worse than midfield and did not edge her into the clear until well into the straight, but she then found top gear quickly and stormed over her rivals for a dominant win.

A $9 chance, Spirit of Heaven scored by 1-1/4 lengths from another well-related filly, Samaready’s half-sister Samarmeteors ($2.40 fav), with the Brian Mayfield-Smith trained Mighty Ginseng ($3.80) three quarters of a length away third.

Moody said the New Zealand-bred filly – who is by a son of Lights of Heaven’s sire Zabeel and out of the same dam, I’m In Heaven –  did a fantastic job over an unsuitable trip in her debut preparation.

“We educated her over there (New Zealand), spelled her and came here and this if her first prep off the plane,” Moody said.

“She’s gone all the way through, which is a bloody big effort because a month ago we were thinking we’d probably trial her and put her out.

“It’s hard to take a line off today, but regardless she’s going to be nice filly and she’s going to be better suited at a mile, a mile-and-a-quarter.”

Moody took the opportunity to pay tribute to Lights of Heaven, who had the last of her 25 starts – which generated eight wins and seven minor placings – in the Group 2 Eagle Farm Cup, in which she finished fifth of six runners.

Moody said there were no issues with the five-year-old, who won the Group 1 Australasian Oaks at three and finished third in last year’s BMW Caulfield Cup.

“She’s done her job,” Moody said. “She was a Group 1-winning filly and she’s done a hell of a job.

“She’s been competitive at the top level, she’s run third in a Caulfield Cup, she’s Stakes-placed I don’t know how many times and just a bloody good mare.

“She would have been the flag-bearer for most stables and certainly mine if she didn’t have the likes of Black Caviar in the stable.”

A full form profile for Lights of Heaven is available via the link, while the result of the 2014 Blue Diamond Nominate Now Plate is accessible here