3 minute read

Brett Prebble has drawn first blood at Scone, taking out the Woodlands Stakes aboard Hip Hip Hurrah.

Beautifully bred filly Hip Hip Hoorah has kept her unbeaten record intact and earned some valuable black-type in the process with a fighting win in the Listed Woodlands Stakes at Scone. 

Raced by Sir Owen Glenn's Go Bloodstock, Hip Hip Hurrah is a homebred by super sire Snitzel out of Pure Elation, who was a dual Group winner from just six starts before her career was cut short. 

Her pint-sized daughter appears to have inherited her share of the family's ability, backing up a debut win in the Miss Finland Stakes (1000m) at Muswellbrook with Saturday's 1100m success. 

"There's not much of her but she certainly makes up for it with heart," trainer Michael Freedman's stable representative Caitlin Smith said. 

"She's one of Sir Owen's homebred fillies out of a very good mare that they sadly lost so it's very special to get a (stakes) win with her." 

From an inside draw, Brett Prebble positioned Hip Hip Hurrah trailing the speed and when a split opened between leader Frenemy and Godolphin's Dipsy Doodle, he urged the filly through it. 

Dipsy Doodle was up for the fight but it was Hip Hip Hurrah ($8.50) who got the bob in, scoring by a short half-head over Dipsy Doodle ($3.70) with debutant Miracle Of Love ($14), a daughter of Golden Slipper winner Miss Finland, another half-neck away, just ahead of the fast-finishing favourite Saltaire. 

Prebble described Hip Hip Hurrah as a professional filly who would continue to improve with race experience. 

"The one to beat (Dipsy Doodle) was outside me so we had to make it a bit of a ding-dong go but she really toughed it out hard," Prebble said. 

"The last twenty yards was enough for her because she was just that little bit on the bridle for me (earlier). 

"She's only small but she is really tough and honest. 

"Everything I've done with her, she gives me a feel she will improve as she gets older. I don't know if she'll get bigger but experience-wise, she will get better." 

Hip Hip Hoorah has added her name to a handy Woodlands Stakes honour roll that also boasts the ill-fated Libertini (2019) and two-time Group 1 heroine In Secret (2022) among its winners.