The effects of a taxing first-up run told on Idle Flyer when she was beaten as favourite last start, but the mare will be on a mission to get her spring campaign back on track at Randwick.
While she isn’t expected to trouble prohibitive favourite Autumn Glow in the The 7 Stakes (1600m), jockey Zac Lloyd is looking for her to lift after she failed to show her usual enthusiasm when fourth in the Tramway Stakes (1400m).
It followed a solid return behind the benchmark mare in the Winx Stakes (1400m), a race that took several runners out of their comfort zones due to the strong tempo.
“I honestly think she just had a bad day,” Lloyd said of Idle Flyer’s Tramway Stakes performance.
“She had a hard first-up run off a really solid tempo in a Group One and a two-week back-up.
“I was a bit worried going to the gates because she didn’t feel like her normal self. She was a bit flat cantering to the gates. But in saying that, they didn’t go hard the other day so although she got beaten, she had a much easier day out.
“Hopefully she can bounce back to a bit better form.”
Autumn Glow was priced at $1.15 on Friday, with Idle Flyer the outsider of the five-horse field at $23.
Lloyd admits it’s difficult to find a chink in the favourite’s armour and he isn’t going to the races anticipating a shock result, instead hoping Idle Flyer can be doing her best work late to set herself up for a suitable target deeper in the spring.
“She’s very hard to ride against because she does everything so right. She jumps well, she puts herself in a winnable position,” Lloyd said of Autumn Glow.
“I think Idle Flyer, we’ll be riding a bit cold on the weekend and then see if she can step up to the better races.
“If I can get on the back of Autumn Glow and then get as close as I can up the straight, that will be my goal.”
The 7 Stakes (1600m) will be an important stepping stone for Idle Flyer, with trainer Matthew Smith eyeing the Cox Plate (2000m) as a possible aim.
The mare is yet to race beyond a mile, and Lloyd’s feedback on Saturday will no doubt be key in Smith determining whether to stretch her to a middle distance this campaign.
The top young hoop will also partner Headwall for Smith in the The Shorts (1100m), confident the seven-year-old can back up his slashing second to Tempted in the Concorde Stakes (1000m) at what was his first run in 12 months.
“It was good for him to show people that he’s had a year off, but he’s come back even better,” Lloyd said.
“He’s only lightly raced. He’s a horse who gets back and he’s going to need a bit of luck, a bit of pace on. But he’s ready to go again.”
