Serenading Australia Day

Gear changes can work marvels and such was the case with the Inglis Classic bound Serenade who quickly turned her form around with a stunning all the way victory at Canterbury on Monday.

Blowing the start when considered a major chance at her Gosford debut in late December, the talented bay ran second last beaten over 12 lengths - racing far below the promise she displayed when easily winning a Randwick trial a couple of weeks previously.

"We took her to the races thinking she was a good chance - she had always shown a lot at home - but she was woeful!" admitted the stable's Sydney representative Robbie Hewetson.

"Michael said to get the blinkers on her straight away and they did the trick."

Racing in a far more professional manner at only her second start, Serenade displayed terrific natural pace to jump straight to the lead.

Kicking away from her rivals turning, Serenade never looked in any danger of defeat as she raced five lengths clear over the final stages.

Jockey Brenton Avdulla was not surprised by the strength of Serenade's victory.

"I was quietly confident that she would run well," he said, noting that "we were able to control the speed and from the 600m she was always going to be hard to beat."

"And I never really got to the bottom of her - she is a very nice filly going forward."

A bargain purchase at last year's Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Serenade is raced by Ballymore Australia in partnership with R & C Legh Racing.

She is a first crop daughter of the Blue Diamond Stakes winner Star Witness and the Pins mare Purely Spectacular.

Also dam of the dual Listed winner Stratum Star, Purely Spectacular is a half-sister to the New Zealand stakes winner Raid.

Serenade is a descendant of one of the greats of the Australian turf, her fourth dam being the champion grey Emancipation.