Al’s Magic Miss will be out to maintain an unbeaten first-up record on Saturday in a pipe-opener to an early autumn carnival stakes mission.
The David Payne-trained filly is unbeaten in two first-up outings ahead of the Vinery Stud Handicap (1000m) where stable apprentice Chad Schofield will be aboard.
“She has come back well and is much stronger,” Payne said.
“She spelled really good and I’m happy with her.”
The daughter of Magic Albert has taken on good company during her 10 starts with seven of her outings in stakes races, including a dead-heat for second in the Listed Heritage Stakes (1100m) in September.
“She’s taken on the best and competed well, so we’ll look for something like the Light Fingers Stakes for her,” Payne said.
Payne is no stranger to success in the Group Two Light Fingers (1200m), having prepared Rock Me Baby to upset champion filly Samantha Miss in the 2009 edition.
“I actually beat Samantha Miss twice, once with Rock Me Baby and once with Stripper (in the Sweet Embrace Stakes),” Payne recalled.
The Light Fingers will be run at Warwick Farm on February 18 and is expected to mark the return of Group One Flight Stakes winner Streama from the Guy Walter stable.
Payne said Al’s Magic Miss had plenty of improvement in her going into Saturday’s event but with the race being over 1000m was not concerned about the filly’s fitness.
The Rosehill horseman, who has five horses entered for the Warwick Farm program, is also keen to see how two-year-old Risky Blonde handles city company for the first time in the Warwick Farm 100 Club Plate (1000m).
Risky Blonde scored by a half-head on debut at Gosford last week and the trainer believes she will improve from that experience.
“It will be interesting to see her in town because we would like to go to the Inglis Classic with her. That’s if she measures up (on Saturday),” he said.
The $250,000 Inglis Classic (1200m) at Rosehill on January 21 is restricted to horses offered at the Sydney Inglis Classic Yearling Sale last year.
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