Untapped filly Apocalyptic has announced herself as a genuine carnival contender with a brilliant first-up win.
Michael Freedman claimed the Golden Slipper with Marhoona but for a long time Apocalyptic was the filly he rated his top seed for the juvenile showpiece.
On Saturday at Randwick she showed why with a stunning return in the Group 2 Furious Stakes (1200m).
A luckless second at her only other start in December, Apocalyptic was immediately vaulted towards the top of Slipper markets but never made it to the Sydney autumn carnival races due to a foot abscess.
She arrived at the second leg of the Princess Series as a maiden and Freedman admitted to harbouring reservations he was doing the right thing in pitting her against more experienced, proven fillies first-up.
"I was hoping I didn't end up with egg on my face running a maiden," Freedman said.
"It has been unconventional but I've got a lot of faith in what I've seen from her at home.
"I thought she was our number one seed for the Slipper. It might have been a blessing she went back out and has started to furnish now."
Freedman has his sights on the remaining two races in the Princess Series, the Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) and Flight Stakes (1600m) and expects her to relish stepping out in distance.
"She is such a big, relaxed girl in her racing she has always given me and Tommy the indication she's going to love getting out over those longer trips," he said.
"Today was a stepping stone towards that so hopefully she pulls up well and she's in good form and good order and we'll come back to the Tea Rose."
Apocalyptic ($5) was strong to the line to score by a half-neck over Tupakara ($12) with Silver Shadow Stakes winner Savvy Hallie ($2.90 fav) running her usual honest race for third, another long neck away.
Jockey Tommy Berry is a big fan of the winner and is excited to see what heights she can reach.
"It's hard to keep a lid on her," Berry said.
"I just know that Michael has a big smile on his face now because he kept going on all week how we were running a maiden in a race like this.
"But it shows what we have thought of her for a very long time. We thought she was our Slipper filly and we kept running into issue after issue with her.
"But she has come back in this preparation and, knock on wood, hasn't skipped a beat."
Apocalyptic gave Freedman back-to-back wins in the Furious Stakes following the victory by Manaal 12 months ago.
