Hulking Brisbane filly Paprika silenced a few of her doubters and justified Magic Millions favouritism with a comprehensive victory in the $150,000 Tommy Smith Slipper at Doomben.Paprika went into Saturday's 1200m race with three wins from three starts but there were plenty of cynics who doubted the General Nediym filly's stamina beyond 1000m.But Paprika left the doubters with little ammunition to support their argument when she bounded straight to the front for jockey Shane Scriven and sprinted
Hulking Brisbane filly Paprika silenced a few of her doubters and justified Magic Millions favouritism with a comprehensive victory in the $150,000 Tommy Smith Slipper at Doomben.
Paprika went into Saturday's 1200m race with three wins from three starts but there were plenty of cynics who doubted the General Nediym filly's stamina beyond 1000m.
But Paprika left the doubters with little ammunition to support their argument when she bounded straight to the front for jockey Shane Scriven and sprinted away from her main rival Carlton Forward to score by two lengths.
Carlton Forward lost no admirers at his first start going the clockwise direction when he tracked Paprika throughout and knuckled down bravely in the straight.
Gold Coast filly Moonlight Hussey travelled in third spot throughout and held her position in the run to the line to finish another 2-3/4 lengths away.
Winning trainer Liam Birchley said Paprika raced as he expected her to and left the course praying for a good barrier draw in the $2 million Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast on January 10.
"There is one more hurdle we have to jump now and that is the barrier draw," Birchley said.
"I told Shane to send her forward and make her race. We've purposely been soft on her until now but it was time to get serious today and she passed the test easily."
In an ominous warning to her Magic Millions rivals, Birchley said there was more improvement yet in Paprika.
"She was a bit round today. She still looks a bit big but that will tighten her right up and she will improve on what she did today."
Carlton Forward's trainer Peter Moody acknowledged the best horse won on the day but took heart in the fact that his charge can also improve.
"He went alright, he just wasn't fast enough today, simple as that," Moody said.
"But that was his first run going this way, he spent two days on the road getting up here (from Melbourne) and he had a good blow afterwards. The positives are there.
"They dawdled in front and made it a sprint home which made it hard to give the winner ground and pick her up. He'll be better off for the run."