Group One-winning stablemates Appearance and Streama will clash for the first time this autumn in Saturday’s Wiggle Stakes at Warwick Farm.
Trainer Guy Walter said the mares had the same targets culminating in the Doncaster Mile and would probably follow the same path via the Coolmore Classic and the Queen Of The Turf.
Streama - Photo by Steve Hart
Both ran second in their respective races when they resumed at Warwick Farm last Saturday week and were both entered for two races – the Liverpool City Cup and the Wiggle on Saturday.
“I put them both in the Liverpool City Cup in case the track was going to be wet because I thought it would be easier over 1300 rather than 1400 metres on a heavy track,” Walter said.
“But it looks as if it will be OK so they will go to the Wiggle.
“They both galloped on the course proper at Warwick Farm this morning and I was happy with what they did.”
Streama finished 1-3/4 lengths behind in-form sprinter Skytrain in the Group Three Southern Cross (1200m) while Appearance finished a short half-head behind She’s Clean after copping a bump in the straight.
Hugh Bowman sticks with Streama while Kerrin McEvoy returns to feature racing in Sydney after a stint in Melbourne to partner the Darley-owned Appearance, winner of the Myer Classic in the spring in which Streama finished eighth, three lengths behind her stablemate.
Walter will be also be represented at Saturday’s Flemington meeting with Willy Jimmy to contest the Group Two Blamey Stakes (1600m).
The seven-year-old returned to racing in January after an injury-enforced break of more than a year.
He was an encouraging fourth in the Takeover Target Stakes at Gosford first-up but was run off his feet when last of 10 in the Expressway Stakes.
His fourth in the Apollo Stakes on a heavy track was enough to convince Walter he was worthy of taking to Melbourne for the Blamey.
He will be ridden by Nick Hall who partnered him when he finished second to Launay in a 1600m race at Flemington in November 2010.
Willy Jimmy is also among Walter’s Doncaster team and is on the limit weight of 52kg with stablemates Appearance, Jacquinot Bay and Hood while Streama has 52.5kg.
Walter created history in 2005 when he trained the Doncaster trifecta of Patezza, Court’s In Session and Danni Martine.
“I think that was a one-off,” he said. “But hopefully we have a strong team in the race this year.”
