The Darley domination of Sydney’s early two-year-old races is expected to continue when Memorial steps out for her second start at Rosehill.
She is one of three Peter Snowden-trained fillies, including Earthquake, to win over the past three weeks and is the $2 favourite to repeat her debut performance on Saturday.
Earthquake, a winner on November 9, is having a short break before being prepared for the Blue Diamond Stakes in February for which she is the early favourite.
Christian Reith, who rode Earthquake at Rosehill, compared her favouably to star filly Guelph, the winner of two Group One juvenile races and another two as a spring three-year-old.
Another win by Memorial would take the pressure off her in the autumn.
“There is good prize money and a two-year-old race every Saturday so we don’t have to force it in the autumn when we are trying to get their earnings up to get into the Slipper,” Snowden said.
“Earthquake, Memorial and Occitan are all progressive fillies but I think Earthquake is the most precocious and the right type for the Blue Diamond.”
Occitan won at Randwick last weekend and could also have another start this preparation.
The Gai Waterhouse-trained debutante Spirit Of Joy is closest to Memorial in the markets at $4.60 with Amicus from the Chris Waller stable at $9.50.
Memorial’s stablemate Orujo was also entered for the Rosehill race but has been sent south to run at Caulfield where he is the favourite in a field of 11 youngsters.
Snowden will leave Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley Australia after the autumn with his replacement yet to be announced.
