CHAMPION jockey Craig Williams kicked off day two of the revamped Warrnambool May Racing Carnival with a last-to-first performance on Wednesday.
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Williams and filly Icantoo were slow out in race one, a 1100-metre two-year-old handicap, before charging home to pip the aptly named War Na Bool at the finish.
Icantoo was allowed to settle at the rear of the field after a slow start, peeled out four wide on the home turn and charged home to grab the Jim Madden-trained War Na Bool in the shadows of the finish line.
It was a career debut win for $4.90 chance Icantoo under father/son trainers Leon and Troy Corstens.
The filly fetched $150,000 at last year's Karaka Yearling Sales in New Zealand.
They picked up $17,300 for Wednesday's victory but will have high hopes for the future after the impressive effort.
War Na Bool, with the highly-rated Brad Rawiller in the saddle, fell short of a home-town win for Tower Hill mentor Madden after being supported at big odds ($23).
Troy Corstens said plans changed for the filly which led to her debuting at Warrnambool.
"She's been ready to go for the last two or three weeks, but we avoided the wet track at Sandown and when I saw how this track looked yesterday on TV, I thought it'd be right for her today," he said.
"I've always had a good opinion, she's always been professional. She's more like a big colt."
Williams said Icantoo was a nice type.
"She's a really nice filly. They've really educated her extremely well. It's my first ride on her but watching her jump out, they've taught her to be up in front and behind," he said.
"From the barrier, the way she stepped, the race today was from behind but the feeling she gave me and the acceleration she put in, her attitude, her action, and the improvement she's going to get out of today, she's a really nice filly going forward."
Williams said the Warrnambool track straight was a bit chopped up after Tuesday's racing but the rest of the circuit was in excellent order.
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