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By Alexander Grant

Jolen Jolen showed great improvement during her third career start to win the feature Bathurst Toyota 2YO Gold Nugget (1100m) at Tyers Park on Sunday.

The Trusting filly hadn’t lived up to her sire’s name in her first two career runs, finishing eighth and last, but in her trip to Bathurst, Jolen Jolen ($12) showed what she was capable of achieving. Jolen Jolen led from start to finish and held off a charge down the rail from Onsettling Down ($7) to win by half a length.

Jolen Jolen (Jenny Duggan) edges out Onsettling Down (Patrick Scorse) at Tyers Park on Sunday. Image by Chris Seabrook

Winning trainer Scott Singleton said his filly can be tough to handle but she’s got plenty of talent when she puts her mind to it.

“She virtually pulled up last start. She had one leaning on her and she’s a hormonal sort of filly so she turned it up and said ‘I’m out of this’,” he said.

“She’s got a bit of an attitude but this win might do her a bit of good. She’s only a baby so that attitude might come good in time.

“She’s shown at home that she can gallop but a lot of the time she gets the head up and says ‘No, no, not today’.

"Sometimes a win is all they need and then they’re able to go on with it.”

Jolen Jolen, under the guidance of jockey Jenny Duggan, got away quickly from barrier seven and came across to lead. Megalodon worked up to join her at the front, and at the 600m mark both Hot As Hell and Reason To Smile worked around the outside to make it a wall of four horses. Reason To Smile couldn’t match the tempo being set by Jolen Jolen and dropped out of the winning chances with 200m to go.

The big shock was favourite Hot As Hell ($2.80) being unable to challenge for the lead. He would wind up three and a half lengths away in third. Megalodon, the next best-backed runner, also couldn’t find a way to catch the leading pair.

It was down to a duel between Jolen Jolen and Onsettling Down (Patrick Scorse) in the closing 200m. Onsettling Down had timed his run along the rail well and looked like a big danger for Jolen Jolen. Jolen Jolen kept her cool this time around and knuckled down over the final 100m to see off her challenger.