Lumosty edged a step closer to forcing her way into the Stradbroke Handicap with a dominant victory at Flemington on Saturday.
The three-year-old will head to Brisbane for her next start on June 6.
Trainer Robert Smerdon is hoping that will be in the Stradbroke Handicap with a back-up plan of the Dane Ripper Stakes as the filly heads to the Tattersall’s Club Tiara at the Gold Coast on June 20.
After dominating first-up on May 9, Lumosty was backed from $1.75 into $1.55 before scoring a 2-3/4 length win under Dwayne Dunn in The Straight Six (1200m).
Smerdon said he was loathe to deviate from two 1200m runs at Flemington followed by a 1350m run on June 6 leading to the Tattersall’s Tiara after learning of a ballot-free race into the Stradbroke.
“We just thought if it is meant to be it will happen,” Smerdon said.
“The best thing is to train the horse the way you want to train the horse.”
An X-ray after Lumosty finished sixth in the VRC Oaks revealed a bone chip which Smerdon said was the difference between an autumn campaign and a Brisbane winter preparation.
He said horses from the stable had their knees and fetlocks routinely X-rayed at the end of their preparations before heading to the paddock.
“Instead of having six weeks off for the autumn she had to have 16 weeks off and that has benefited her going to these races,” Smerdon said.
Dunn, who moved to within two wins of Craig Williams in the jockeys’ premiership, said Lumosty was dominant.
“I was a bit concerned that she may have been looking for 1400 metres but I was in a nice sweet spot where I could have her in a position to strike when I needed,” he said.
