In Brief

• Monte Bianco salutes at third race start.
• Immaturity prevented filly from contesting feature races.
• Rider and trainer predict bright future for daughter of Alpine Eagle.

In Launceston on Wednesday night Monte Bianco ($2.40 fav) broke her maiden status at her third start and she did it in style, albeit courtesy of a late charge to the line.

The Alpine Eagle filly was cluttered up on he inside of horses and at one stage in the home straight she looked destined to fill a minor placing at best.

But when rider Daniel Ganderton was finally able to get her into clear air, she rattled home to score what was an emphatic win over race leader Swingapinga ($7) with Silver Persuasion ($7.50) a close-up third.

"This filly still has a lot to learn and that's why we weren't able to focus on the good three-year-old fillies' races," Mark Ganderton said.

"She is a typically slow-maturing Alpine Eagle filly.

"She just wasn't mentally strong enough to warrant being aimed at the Thousand Guineas and an Oaks, so I wasn't prepared to push her too hard.

"We've taken our time with her and hopefully that will pay off in the long run."

The jockey was full of praise for the filly's effort.

"I was pleased with the way she ran through the line when we finally got clear," Daniel Ganderton said.

"She is still learning what it is all about and next preparation I think we will start to see the best of her."