Splash Back claimed a maiden Group 1 victory in Saturday’s $700,000 Tatts Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm under an enterprising ride which followed a road less travelled.

The drifting $8.50 chance dropped back near last against the inside but made gradual progress through the race and by the time the field reached the home bend, she had raced into midfield and was going smoothly under Jordan Childs.

While the rest of the field deserted the rail, Childs ploughed a lone furrow up the fence aboard the French-bred six-year-old and she soon raced through to take the front at the 150m.

Savagery Vibe ($26) whistled into second place but could draw no closer than a length from the Grahame Begg-trained Splash Back, who appreciated the Soft6-rated surface.

“Her runs have been good. It’s the best track she’s raced on for her last three runs. The ground was a big plus today, a drying track,” Begg said.

“I said, ‘if you’ve got to go back to the inside, there’s been nothing wrong with it all day’.

“Ride her to her strengths because she’s got a great turn of foot.”

A daughter of Le Havre, the unraced Splash Back began her career in Australia almost three years ago.

“John Foote bought her from France. He had a brief to buy a good filly in France and she’s the recipient,” Begg said.

“She’s been a beauty to me this horse. I haven’t had her all the time – we flipped her around from getting over a middle distance to back running over shorter trips.

“All the data, she just had an electric turn of foot, so we just had to do something different. We changed it around with her and she’s been really, really good.

“She gets back and she’s reliant on speed in her races. She needs a bit of luck but she’s a gun.”

Childs said the bold move to stick solid against the rail was disconcerting, but the horse emboldened his confidence.

“I was happy with the way I was travelling but I just knew that I needed things to go my way, and I needed runs to appear,” he said.

“I was on the back of Ahha Ahha and (Blindedbythelight) up in front of him. They’re probably not the best horses you want to be following but I was lucky enough that it unfolded the way I needed it to.

“I was able to get up the inside and she’s a horse that loves to be held up and use her turn of foot.

“It’s great to get another Group 1 for Grahame, too, he’s been a big supporter of mine through my career, so I’m extremely happy.”

Later, top local galloper Yellow Brick ($8.50) bounced back to form in the Group 3 W J Healy Stakes (1200m) under almost identical circumstances to Splash Back.

Against the inside rail, Yellow Brick drove through under Tommy Berry to clinch victory in the final bounds over Payline ($6.50) and Pereille ($11).

It marked a return to the winners’ list for the $4 million earner after being soundly defeated in both the Kingsford Smith Cup and Stradbroke Handicap at his last two.