Bart Cummings famously said patience costs nothing and it paid a winning dividend for the connections of Socks Nation at Sandown.
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained filly strolled to an easy win under John Allen in the Ladbrokes Owners Incentive Scheme Plate (1500m) on Wednesday.
The Maher and Eustace stable used the different training bases at Cranbourne and Pakenham to extract the best out of Socks Nation to land an impressive maiden win.
Jumping straight to the front, Socks Nation, the $1.60 favourite, lengthened her stride impressively to score a soft 5-¾ length win from Maxxi Bon ($17) with Everett ($12) a long head away third.
Assistant trainer Jack Turnbull said Socks Nation had been taken a long quietly by the team and was lining up for only her fourth start on Wednesday.
Socks Nation went almost two months between her second a third starts, something Turnbull said will enable the filly to extend her preparation well into summer.
“It was just a breather,” Turnbull said.
“That is the beauty of Ballarat in that you can forget about them in the back paddock, so they can have a pick, and you can get more of a prep out of them as it showed today.
“We wanted to stretch her out through the spring and into summer as we knew she was capable, and the races would fall away.”
Turnbull said the bar would not be raised too high in the immediate future for Socks Nation who was likely to head to a VOBIS Silver Three-Year-Old Fillies over 1500m at Moonee Valley next month.
“Given that she’s won well today and if she draws well, it could be very suitable,” Turnbull said.
“Today she showed good tactical speed and on paper there didn’t look to be a lot, so when she jumped clean, Johnny went forward.
“She did everything right. She’s very professional and has threatened to win a race like this, so it’s just great for the owners.
She’s a filly that has always showed ability, so to win a race in town is fantastic.”
