Bound For Earth had her connections on tenterhooks before scoring a narrow victory in the G2 Furious Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.

The John O’Shea trained filly defeated Darley high-flyer Guelph by a short-head despite jockey Nick Hall dropping his hands shortly before the finish line.  He was fined $1,000 by stewards.

Bound For Earth (3f Northern Meteor – Bulla Borghese by Belong To Me) had won at Canterbury on debut in April before a trip north where she ran creditably in a couple of Group 2 events in Brisbane.

“She had some residual fitness from the winter carnival that helped make the difference today,” O’Shea said.  “We’ve always had a nice opinion of this filly and I think she will be at her best at a mile.”

Bred by Reg Kemister, Bound For Earth is from Group 1 VRC Oaks winner Bulla Borghese and was purchased by Segenhoe owner Kevin Maloney for $290,000 at the 2012 Inglis Easter yearling sale.

The Furious Stakes was the second-leg of Sydney’s Princess Series and O’Shea indicated his filly will start in the third and fourth legs – G2 ATC Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) and G1 Flight Stakes (1600m).

“These fillies are going to have some good tussles over the next month,” O’Shea predicted. “It will be interesting to see how my one shapes up against Guelph again.”

The Furious Stakes has been the launching pad for numerous Group 1 winners including Research (1988) and Sunline (1998).  Four of the last five winners – Samantha Miss, Melito, Streama and Dear Demi – have also gone on to win at the elite level.