Double makes long trip worthwhile

COMPLETING a clean sweep of the Southern Cross heats certainly made the long day worthwhile according to veteran trainer David Phillips.

Leaving his Mount Gambier base at 2:45 yesterday afternoon, Phillips returned from his Globe Derby adventure at 4:30 this morning!

In between, Phillips won both two-year-old fillies qualifiers with exciting duo Witha Bitta Luck and Lambro Louella.

"Leaving at that time and getting home when we did was the shortest way to go about it and still made for a long day," Phillips said. "By the time I finished the horses after we got home it was 5:30 when I crawled into bed.

"When you get a double at Globe Derby for your effort, it certainly makes it worthwhile.

"The fillies have pulled up brilliantly, I'm doing alright for an old bloke, but it will be beer o'clock sometime this afternoon."

Fresh from her successful debut the previous week, Witha Bitta Luck worked to the lead from barrier four on her way to a soft win from My Rocking Horse and Lambro Delrose.

Rating 2:02.9 over 1800 metres, the daughter of Rock N Roll Heaven's time was 5.9 seconds slower than Lambro Louella in the second heat.

Leading throughout from barrier five, Lambro Louella completed an arrogant 36-metre win from Sal Wester, with Kenzington two metres away third.

"I was confident with both of them as they are nice types," Phillips said. "Everything Witha Bitta Luck has done has pretty much been in the last month.

"She had one qualifying trial before her two races and is coming along very quickly. This is only her second prep, so she has done bugger all really.

"Lambro Louella is a real little racehorse, which has been a natural. She's had six starts for three wins and two seconds and shows a bit of promise."