Stable jockey Mick Dee was delighted after steering Sky Lake clear of a competitive nursery at Cranbourne on Friday night.

The All Too Hard filly sat at the girth of Leicester Rocket before dropping the front-runner approaching the corner.  Dee then had the luxury of easing her down after sprinting to three-length lead in the O’Brien Real Estate Maiden (1300m).

“She had to do a bit of work early but I gave her a breather down the back,” he said.  “Then she towed me into the race and carted me all the way to the line!”

Sky Lake (2f All Too Hard – Vietnam by Admiralty) is trained by Mick Price and was purchased for $100,000 at the 2016 Magic Millions National Sale.  Her dam won a Dane Ripper Quality-Gr.3 at Eagle Farm in 2008.

“She will mature with more experience and this win will help her confidence,” Dee explained.  “There are definitely better wins ahead.”

Sky Lake has several owners in common with stablemate and last-start Caulfield winner Pedrena.  The Mossman filly is the pre-post favourite to double up in the Le Pine Funerals Hcp (1600m) at Sandown Lakeside on Saturday.

The All Too Hards are building momentum at the back-end of their 2yo season and he has two winning chances of his own in Brisbane and Sydney on Saturday.  Consistent colt All Too Huiying will appreciate an extra furlong in the BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes-Gr.2 (1400m) at Eagle Farm after a solid second in the Champagne Classic-Gr.2 at Doomben a fortnight ago.

And his last-start Gosford winner Allied Power steps up to city company in the Seven News Plate (1400m) at Randwick.

All Too Hard’s second-crop yearlings sold to $600,000 (Gold Coast), $500,000 (Melbourne Premier) & $400,000 (Inglis Easter) earlier this year and he has another 16 lots catalogued for the Magic Millions National Sale starting on Tuesday, June 6.

Vinery stands him for a $44,000 (inc gst) service fee.

SKY LAKE