Nocturnelle will follow the path taken by stablemate Red Tracer and challenge Sydney’s best fillies after an impressive return at Canterbury on Saturday.
Nocturnelle overcame a tardy getaway to swamp her rivals in the Austbrokers ABS Bloodstock Handicap (1200m) and book a place in the Group Two Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) in three weeks.
Awaiting in the Light Fingers will be a host of Sydney’s top fillies including Group One winner Streama.
Nocturnelle’s trainer Chris Waller said the lightly-raced filly had plenty of talent and deserved her shot at the early autumn features after notching her third win from just four starts.
“That’s what we did with Red Tracer last year,” Waller said.
“Red Tracer won this same race first-up last year but it was at Randwick. I identified that she was a similar type of filly to Red Tracer and decided to follow the same path with her.”
Red Tracer finished a close second in both the Light Fingers and Surround Stakes in the early part of last year’s autumn carnival.
Waller then backed off and she returned to win the Listed PJ Bell Stakes and James Carr Stakes at the end of the carnival.
“What winning today does do is give her a bit of a fitness edge against the better horses in the Light Fingers,” Waller said.
“She’s got to make huge improvement to match them but she’ll have fitness on her side and it’s probably a good time to try.”
A concern for Waller is Nocturnelle’s barrier manners because for the second time in as many starts she was slowly away to trail the field.
Nocturnelle ($3.80 fav) had the ability to overcome that at Randwick in October and did likewise on Saturday as she accelerated past her rivals to defeat Pectin ($7) by a length with 1-1/4-lengths to her stablemate Mickelberg ($5) in third.
“One thing we will do is take the barrier blanket off her next start,” Waller said.
“From an inside barrier she might still be able to sit midfield but you can’t give good horses a start, especially over the shorter distances.”
AAP TURF
