![Love Story races away for a dominant breakthrough victory on the Kensington track. [Bradley Photos]](https://betsy.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/2373080.jpg)
Four-year-old Love Story is only two starts into her career, but co-trainer Adrian Bott believes her belated arrival to racing might be a blessing in disguise.
While the daughter of Justify always showed ability, knee chips and an untimely illness prevented her from making her debut until last month when she finished a close second at Warwick Farm.
Starting an odds-on favourite in Wednesday’s Catanach’s Jewellers Plate (1400m), the mare went one better, dictating terms for Adam Hyeronimus and booting further in front down the Kensington straight for a dominant 3-1/4 length win over Iminastate ($26), with Memorise ($17) a similar margin away third.
Bott believes she has the scope to work her way to black-type level in time, and says the late start to her career might be advantageous given she’s still furnishing.
“It’s probably not a bad thing because she’s still all frame to look at,” Bott said.
“Another twelve months, if she can race thirty or forty kilos bigger we’ll see nice improvement from her.
“Maybe at the end of the season she could be a Queensland (winter carnival) mare.”
Training partners John O’Shea and Tom Charlton also produced an eye-catching winner in three-year-old Punxsutawney Phil ($1.95), who took his record to three wins from as many starts in the Asahi Super Dry Handicap (1250m).
The colt was joined by the more imposing Sky Deck at the top of the straight before fighting him off and surging again to post a 1-1/4 length win over Aladdin’s Girl ($41) with Sky Deck ($11) holding third.
Charlton couldn’t help but be impressed by the horse’s will to win and confirmed he was likely to have his next start in the Listed Brian Crowley Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on October 24.
“That was fantastic. Another good performance, and I’m really pleased for owner-breeder Neil Werrett because he’s a big supporter of the stable,” Charlton said.
“John (O’Shea) and Neil have always had a plan to potentially go to the Brian Crowley. That’s two-and-a-half weeks and the likely target.
“He’s a really genuine little horse. He will appreciate 1200 for his next start. It will be perfect.”
