Rio Flyer caused a boilover when beating odds-on favourite Festive Excess on Saturday but the result didn’t surprise David Harrison.

The Lark Hill trainer also bred and part-owns the filly who is by Mungrup Stud’s champion two year-old sire Oratorio (Aus).  “She had been going super at the trials,” Harrison said after the Westspeed Nursery (1000m).  “She won her first hit-out by four lengths and then we gave her an easy run last time and she only got beaten a neck.

“She was very green today and kept looking at the grandstand and the tents.  She’s a half-sister to McScar but, looking at her, you wouldn’t know it.”

Rio Flyer (2f Oratorio – Raw Flyer by Belele) is from a mare who won four races at Perth and the provincials for Harrison and TBWA president Ian Riley.  She has already foaled the stakes performers McScar (McFlirt), McLurch (McFlirt) and Raw Metal (Metal Storm) by former Mungrup stallions.

Oratorio has sired 6 two year-old winners of 9 races this season headed by Perth Magic Millions Classic winner Cadenza.  He won the WA 2YO title with the same stats in 2012-13.

Harrison got in on the ground floor with Oratorio training his first-crop sprinter Waratah’s Secret to Group 3 victories in the Prince Of Wales Stakes and Scahill Stakes.

Mungrup Stud will stand Oratorio (Aus) for a $16,500 (inc gst) fee this year.