Samantha Miss upstages Sebring

Golden Slipper winner Sebring narrowly failed in his bid to become just the sixth two-year-old to win the juvenile triple crown when the Kris Lees-trained Samantha Miss nailed him in the final bounds to win Saturday's Champagne Stakes at Randwick.

The colt's trainer Gai Waterhouse was gracious in defeat and said Sebring was still a star in her eyes despite going down by a short head in the 1600m Group One feature.

"He was so courageous in defeat, it was a bob of the head and nothing can be taken away from the winner," Waterhouse said.

"It was just her day not his, it doesn't stop him being a champion two-year-old.

"He won the Golden Slipper which is the most important thing."

Samantha Miss' victory was a sweet one for Lees as the filly narrowly missed out on qualifying for a Golden Slipper start.

A $1.5 million buy at last year's Easter yearling sale, Samantha Miss ($6) was runner-up to Sebring ($1.90 fav) in the Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) last start but with the blinkers off was able to run down the previously undefeated colt.

"When you spend a lot of money at the sales there are no guarantees so for this filly to win a race like this it's a great thrill," Lees said.

"She stalked the favourite all the way and he's a tremendous horse, he's had to go three weeks in a row and it's a tremendous effort on his behalf but she was just a little bit stronger today."

Lees said he was confident Samantha Miss had won but began to doubt his judgment when the camera followed the colt.

"I was sure (she won) and then the camera followed the other one and I thought, 'Oh no, I've done a Greg Hall here and went off early'," Lees said, referring to Hall's celebratory gesture aboard Doriemus in the 1997 Melbourne Cup when he thought he'd won but was just beaten by Might And Power.

Samantha Miss is owned by Ron Croghan who together with the late John Inglis raced horses with Lees' late father and legendary Newcastle trainer Max Lees for 20 years, although the success was his first at Group One level.

A property developer in western Sydney, Croghan also raced trotters with high-profile owner Bob Ingham for many years with much success.

He has spent up at the past two Easter sales in Sydney, also buying a $1.8 million Redoute's Choice filly this year, and when asked about the buying spree said: "I used to be partners with John Inglis and he didn't like paying much."

Samantha Miss' victory gave jockey Hugh Bowman his breakthrough Group One victory this season and first since taking out the Rosehill Guineas aboard He's No Pie Eater on March 24 last year.

Glowlamp ($9) ran her usual honest race for third another 1-1/4 lengths away while second favourite All American disappointed, finishing last.