Improvement is expected from Golden Slipper placegetter Elite Falls in Saturday’s Furious Stakes but trainer John O’Shea has labelled rival filly Anise as the horse to beat.
The O’Shea-trained colt Foxwedge held off the late charge from the Peter Snowden-trained Anise in the 1100m San Domenico Stakes on August 13, and O’Shea feels that form line could prove superior to that out of the opening leg of the Princess Series.
Six fillies who competed in the Group Three Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) on August 21, including the winner Pane In The Glass and the O’Shea-trained Elite Falls, will line up against Anise in the Group Two Furious (1400m) at Warwick Farm.
“Maybe the form line coming into the race is that of Anise,” O’Shea said.
“I’m an advocate that the colts are far superior to the fillies and I think that was shown a bit last weekend down in Melbourne when the horse of Peter Moody’s (Golden Archer) won easily.
“He beat a good bunch of fillies.
“So Anise is probably the horse to beat in the race on Saturday.”
Elite Falls was one of the standout two-year-old fillies last season, winning the Reisling Stakes and finishing third in the Golden Slipper won by Sepoy.
The daughter of More Than Ready returned in the Silver Shadow Stakes and finished fifth on a heavy track at Warwick Farm.
“She has done well and will appreciate having had that run and getting a firmer surface on Saturday,” O’Shea said.
“She gets through the wet ground but not when she’s not fit.”
O’Shea said Elite Falls did enough first-up and expects a good performance on the weekend in the second race of the four-leg Princess Series for fillies.
“She’s going to improve a lot and probably one more run will top her off,” O’Shea said.
“She’ll hopefully get back in the game on Saturday and that will lay a good foundation for the Tea Rose at her next start.”
Champion jockey Jim Cassidy missed the first-up ride on Elite Falls through suspension but is booked to reunite with her on Saturday.
However, Cassidy was stood down from riding at Canterbury on Wednesday due to a sore hand and had to visit a doctor to assess the extent of the injury.
Cassidy hurt his hand at the barrier trials last Friday and will need a medical clearance before being able to ride again.
“He has a ride on Friday (on Essence Of Success in the Wyong Cup) so he is going to be in touch with us tomorrow,” deputy chief steward Greg Rudolph said.
Anise opened the $3.80 favourite for the Furious with TAB Sportsbet ahead of Pane In The Glass at $4.60.
Streama and Elite Falls are next in line at $6.
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