Let'sbefrankbaby hits SA Fillies Classic target at Morphettville

Let’sbefrankbaby takes out the Group 3 SA Fillies Classic. Picture: Atkins Photography

A plan six months in the making came off – albeit narrowly – for Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock's emerging stayer Let'sbefrankbaby in the Group 3 SA Fillies Classic (2500m) at Morphettville on Saturday.

After her sixth in the Group 1 VRC Oaks in November, the stable put a circle around this race as her main target for the campaign, resisting temptations to run chase bigger contest on the way.

It was a bold but important move as she needed everything in her arsenal to capture the feature, with Let'sbefrankbaby responding to Jamie Mott's urgings to narrowly edge the brave Moya Lass.

Let'sbefrankbaby wins the SA Fillies Classic for @GriffithsdeKock and Jamie Mott ???? pic.twitter.com/Qtu450JWEv

— Racing SA (@RacingSA) May 20, 2023

"We've been very patient with her. We earmarked this race in November – it was all gearing towards today – and to have it come so close (and to win) is so meaningful," de Kock said.

"It looked like we got headed at one stage (in the straight) but this filly is very tough.

"It was tempting to run in the (Group 1 Australasian) Oaks here but we gave it a miss in the hope we could save her energy for today and it's paid off."

The Andrew Noblet-trained Foxy Frida continued her love affair with the Adelaide carnival, winning the Group 3 RA Lee Stakes like an odds-on favourite should.

The five-year-old mare finished second in the Group 2 Queen of the South Stakes last year before winning the Listed Centaurea Stakes and she followed a very similar path this time around, running second in the Queen of the South again on her way to the RA Lee.

Things looked a little sticky on the bend as Foxy Frida was buried back in the field but jockey Billy Egan managed to extricate them out of that predicament and she sprinted clear to salute in style.

Foxy Frida ????@TheBeeegan and @ANobletRacing combine to claim the RA Lee ???? pic.twitter.com/TlTMFn7sIL

— Racing SA (@RacingSA) May 20, 2023

"She's been very good to my stable. She doesn't stop trying and she races very well here," Noblet said.

"(Egan) rides this horse very well, he understands her. I was never really worried, he had to weave his way through a bit but found the right place and hit the line really well."

"There's a nice fillies and mares weight-for-age mile at Eagle Farm on (June 10), so we might whack her on the plane and go up there if she pulls up well."

It was another fruitful Adelaide trip for Ben Melham, who secured a feature-race double.

That's a a double for @BMelham as Thought Provoking claims the Centaurea ???? pic.twitter.com/VGWTCJmkT4

— Racing SA (@RacingSA) May 20, 2023

The Victorian hoop piloted Godolphin colt Heuristic home in the Group 3 David Coles AM Stakes before leading all-the-way on Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr's Thought Provoking in the Listed Centaurea Stakes.

Hong Kong-bound jockey Michael Dee also finished with a black-type double, flashing home late to snare the Group 3 Proud Miss Stakes with Anthony and Sam Freedman's Snapped before his victory in The Goodwood with Royal Merchant.