Rissoles stormed to victory in the Listed $125,000 Sheila Gwynne Classic (1400m) at Ascot, securing an important maiden stakes win that significantly enhances the mare's value as a future broodmare.
The $17 outsider began quickly and matched the front-runners through the early stages but was dramatically pulled back by jockey Chris Parnham as he sought cover on the Playing God five-year-old.
Eventually, they settled third last as London's Image ($2.70 favourite) set the pace, while other key contender Bonjoy ($3.60) was the tailender after a slow start.
London's Image still held nearly a length over her rivals early in the straight, and Parnham eased Rissoles out of her one-out, two-back position to give chase.
Inside the final 200 metres, Rissoles hit top gear and launched a brilliant burst down the outside, collaring London's Image with 80 metres to travel and dashing clear.
Keeping up the gallop, the Luke Fernie-trained mare romped to a length-and-a-half success over London's Image and Earthstorm ($11), while Bonjoy never recovered and finished sixth.
Rissoles contributed her own slow getaway last start in the Marjorie Charleson Classic (1200m), and Fernie was encouraged by that performance, only a length behind London's Image that day.
"I thought her last run was really good and the sectionals backed that up," Fernie said.
"She bombed the start, which doesn't make life too easy, but she's a nice horse and on her day, she's very capable of winning nice races.
"She deserved to win a stakes race and albeit there were good horses in the race today, some might have got the best runs and others didn't, but we were fortunate that she got the right run today and she's delivered."
Rissoles had not placed in three previous 1400-metre starts but made a lie of that record with Saturday's effort, though Fernie blamed himself for those poor statistics.
"I reckon it might've just been me being a bad trainer at the same time," he said.
"She's not a horse that likes a hell of a lot of work and I've drummed too much into her trying to make her be a 1400m horse, so lesson learned.
"She's a very lightly trained horse and I'm glad we've got the result."
As a future broodmare, the victory increased the $350,000 earner's worth, being owned by Eddie Rigg's Geisel Park Stud.
"Eddie's been a massive support of myself and we're more family friends than what we are business partners.
"I'm glad that she could win for him today and he deserves it. We ran second with Laced Up Heels in this race and it's good to win one for him."
The showing could be a coming-of-age for Rissoles, who Parnham says had always been just off the best.
"She hasn't been far away in these races, and she's been running consistently but just a little bit below them," he said.
"She did close reasonably well last start, so obviously we came in today thinking it was always going to be tough, but still thought she'd run a good race.
"But up to the 1400 metres today, the race shape suited us. They went at a nice gallop, and she was able to relax through the middle part and let down really well."
