A Flying Rose!

Alaskan Rose put her name to the fore as a horse to follow for the spring when recording a stunning debut victory at Sandown on Wednesday.

Well fancied on the back of good jump-out form, the well related daughter of Encosta de Lago travelled well outside the leader and when asked for her effort by Steven Arnold quickly found another gear.

Racing clear to salute by a most impressive 4 1/2 lengths, Alaskan Rose won in the style of a horse up to bigger and better things.

And she has shown the stable that sort of talent since day one.

"She was very professional today," a delighted Michael Moroney said, "and she has always been that way all the way through."

"She went straight as a die which is a good effort for a horse having her first start, she did a great job."

Given time due to being "slightly offset in front," Alaskan Rose showed enough in her early education at two to have her first campaign timed for the spring.

Catching Paul Moroney's eye at last year's Karaka Premier, Alaskan Rose was labelled by him "the best filly in the sale."

"She is from a very good filly family," Moroney said, noting that the three-year-old's dam Saskia by Redoute's Choice is a daughter of the Wakeful Stakes winner Quays whose dam is the Flight Stakes winner Pontal Lass.

"Today was a starting point for her and we will now sit down and plan where she goes from here."

A step up to 1400m at Caulfield in a couple of week's time is the most likely target for Alaskan Rose who hopefully can continue on her way to the Gr.1 1000 Guineas in mid-October.

And Steven Arnold is confident that she has the sort of class to prove competitive at carnival time.

"She was just cantering out there and when I shook her up she showed a good turn of speed."

"She gave me a really good feel," he said, adding that she might be even better being able to settle a little further back - "today I just wanted to take all the luck out of it and ride her to win - and she was too good. She really ripped from the 400m!"

Another of our nice three-year-old fillies is amongst our weekend runners, the speedy Misty Waters set to resume in the Listed Quezette Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.

The winner of her first two and stakes placed at her most recent outing in Adelaide in early May, the daughter of Choisir has pleased the stable this time in.

"She has trialled extremely well down the straight," Moroney said, happy with an inside barrier draw with Jake Noonan to ride.

"This is a tougher race than those she contested last time in but she looks to have a lot going her way."

A couple of races later we have another spring carnival contender resuming, the talented Yesterday's Songs kicking off in the ? Regal Roller Stakes.

"He too has been trialling well and he has a good first up record," said Moroney.

"The only little query is Caulfield as he was beaten favourite at his only start at the track and he has drawn awkwardly so he will need a bit of luck."

"But he has Damien Oliver aboard and he is a horse we have always thought highly of."

Space is out other Saturday runner, the six-year-old taking his place in a 2400m bm65 handicap at Kembla Grange.

Drawn nicely in barrier four for Chad Lever, he was in the placings at Warwick Farm last time out but things did not really go his way.

"He was probably ridden just too pretty," Moroney explained - "he is a horse that has to get going at the 600m."

"But he is going really well, he can be ridden a bit handier this time and it looks the right sort of race for him."

We also have a couple of runners at the Geelong meeting on Friday - Kiwi Dreamer and Nordic Duke.

The former steps up to 1900m second up and we are looking for an improved performance off a first up sixth over 1400m which was just too short for the son of Pentire.

"He is taking a while to mature but at some stage he is going to make into a very nice stayer, he just needs a bit of time."

"He will be even better over further but the 1900m suits at this stage."

Nordic Duke meanwhile will appreciate a drop in class in the 2200m race and he is looking to atone for a luckless run when fifth at Bendigo last time out.

"He should prove hard to beat."