Femina Fashion will be given the chance to win at Group level with a trip to Melbourne pencilled in after her Eagle Farm assignment on Saturday.
Gold Coast trainer Trevor Whittington has booked Glen Colless to ride Femina Fashion in the Avant Garde Recruitment Handicap (1500m) before the mare heads interstate for her main mission in the Group Two Matriach Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on November 5.
Femina Fashion has started 29 times during her career with more than half at black-type level.
A $35,000 buy as a Magic Millions yearling, Femina Fashion has won six times with her best victory in last year’s Listed Gold Bracelet on her home track.
Whittington hoped Femina Fashion could win last year’s Group One Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm but she was not quite seasoned for the 2400-metre trip despite being runner-up to Marheta in the Group Three The Roses (2020m) at Doomben at her previous start.
Whittington is keen to give Femina Fashion every chance to win a Group race before being retired to stud next season.
“I’m fairly sure this is probably her last season racing and she’ll probably go to stud next year,” Whittington said.
“Her owners are unlikely to breed from her and they’ll probably sell her at the Magic Millions broodmare sale next June.”
Whittington expects a strong showing from Femina Fashion following her first-up fourth to More Strawberries in the Listed Tibbie Stakes (1400m) at Newcastle on September 15.
“It was an enormous run. She got to the front in the straight and was run down late,” Whittington said.
“She had a wide draw and had to sit outside the leader most of the way.
“It was a great run considering she was first-up.”
Whittington will be guided by Femina Fashion’s recovery after her second-up performance before deciding if she needs another run before the Matriach Stakes.
“If she needs another run there’s a 1700-metre race on Melbourne Cup day she can run in,” he said.
Whittington is confident Femina Fashion can be competitive but is concerned she could be weighted out of racing in Queensland if she’s successful in Melbourne.
“I’ll give her a break after Melbourne but if she happens to win the Matriach then she’s going to get big weights up here in the future,” he said.
Whittington is already concerned Femina Fashion is conceding weight to talented sprinter Risk Aversion who is chasing her fifth win from six starts.
“I’m expecting Femina Fashion to be hard to beat but she has to give 4.5 kilos to Risk Aversion,” he said.
AAP TURF
