After the colts and gelding have had their turn, it’s the fillies chance in the spotlight with the running of the Magic Night Stakes. With a start in the $3.5M Golden Slipper on the line and current Slipper favourite Earthquake not entered, there’s no surprise to see a capacity field of sixteen take part. It’s $5.50 the field when markets first opened on Wednesday afternoon with John O’Shea’s Veloce Forte heading the betting. A further four runners are quoted at single figures including Inglis Classic winner Peggy Jean ($7.50) and the well bred Lady Sharapova from the very much in-form Team Hawkes operation.
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1. PEGGY JEAN – B Shinn (5)
Gerald Ryan’s filly has been very good in each of her three starts with the middle run a victory in the Inglis Classic (1200m) where she ran down Boomwaa. She hasn’t raced since finishing third to Unequivocal on the 1st Feb but looked good in winning a barrier last week. She’s drawn so she can camp on the speed and sure to be finishing hard.
Odds: $7.50
2. CLIFTON RED – Z Purton (8)
Surprised most when as a 25/1 shot on debut, the Sebring filly finished well to record a long neck win in the G3 Thoroughbred Breeders (1200m) defeating Ygritte. She then lined up in last week’s Reisling Slipper but was unable to make an impact from the tail of the field and finished seventh, 3.9 lengths behind current Golden Slipper favourite Earthquake. Plenty to like about her debut and will take some benefit from having had a go the Sydney way last start. A solid speed up front, which she should get here, is also favourable.
Odds: $13.00
3. BRING ME THE MAID – C Schofield (10)
Raced by the late Roy Higgins, this Sebring filly was very good on debut, digging deep in a tight finish to narrowly win the Listed Sports 1000 Stakes. She then started the 7/4 favourite in the Listed St. Albans Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley a fortnight ago and only worked home steadily behind London Lolly who had dictated from the front. Drawn a little awkwardly here but better suited back on a bigger track and with what should be, a more genuinely run race.
Odds: $7.00
4. PRESS REPORT – G Schofield (9)
Snuck home along the fence when resuming from a spell two starts ago, running second to Mossfun in the Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill before getting back and only working home fairly in the G2 Sweet Embrace at Randwick, finishing fourth 2 ¾ lengths behind Believe Yourself. Back to her home track of Rosehill may help – she ran second to Memorial in her only other start on debut but still wanted to see a little bit more from her over the final stages last start.
Odds: $11.00
5. TETSUKO – B Avdulla (13)
Made her debut in the Gimcrack Stakes by running second to Alpha Miss – who has been very good since – and was then spelled. Gerald Ryan’s filly with a solid win in a Kensington Maiden (1100m) before contesting the G2 Sweet Embraces Stakes a fortnight ago, where she finished an unlucky 2 ½ third to Believe Yourself. She was making her run with the eventual winner before being squeezed out over the final stages after running out of room. Drawn is a poor one but cannot knock any of her three starts.
Odds: $6.50
6. DONELLE – N Rawiller (1)
Gai Waterhouse’s Not A Single Doubt filly made her debut in the lucrative Inglis 2yo Classic at Moonee Valley back in October as the 13/4 favourite. Whilst she finished a long neck second to Silversands, she did beat home Cornrow (3rd) and Boomwaa (4th) both whom have been very good since. She was immediately spelled after her debut and returned in the Listed Lonhro Plate (1100m) at Warwick Farm where she drifted alarming from 9/1 out to 20/1 in betting. She was third early but only managed to hold her ground on the Slow rated track, finishing sixth and two lengths from Alpha Miss. Weather is predicted to produce a similar track surface this week if that’s the case, hard to have her on last start.
Odds: $15.00
7. UNKNOWN DESTINY – M Walker (11)
Trainer and Owner John Ramsey will bring his daughter of Zizou to the big smoke after two consecutive wins on country tracks. She has finished well from midfield to claim a win at Muswellbrook and Armidale where she carried 57.5kgs, by margins of half a length and a long neck respectively. Good wins but not good enough to be winning here.
Odds: $41.00
8. AEROBAR – C Williams (16)
The Flying Spur filly chased valiantly on debut in a restricted 2yo race at Warwick Farm, running third behind Windjina and Country Warrior before producing some good work late, to claim third spot in the Lonhro Plate at her only start since. She’s performed well at both of her starts which of each been on slow ground. She’s got some handy wins in her but not sure if she’ll be able to break her maiden status here from the widest gate.
Odds: $17.00
9. SULTRY FEELING – J Collett (2)
Started 50/1 on debut when finishing 4.1 lengths and midfield behind Tetsuko before being taken to Wyong by the trainer partnership of Bart and James Cummings where she led throughout to win a maiden race by half a length. Imagine she’ll scoot to the front again here from two but can’t imagine her holding off the challenges late.
Odds: $34.00
10. VELOCE FORTE – J McDonald (14)
High Chaparral filly who was given three trial, one in December and two in February, before making her debut in a Kembla Grange maiden two and half weeks ago. John O’Shea’s galloper started odds-on and didn’t let punters down, finishing well to record a 1 ½ length win. A promising start to her career and one that she’ll improve on unfortunately though, she’s drawn poorly here and if not getting too far back, may need a little luck early to find a spot.
Odds: $5.50
11. LADY SHARAPOVA – D Oliver (7)
From the very much in-form Team Hawkes operation, this Fastnet Rock filly was sent out the 5/2 favourite when she made her debut in the Listed Talindert Stakes (1100m) at Flemington last month. She settled toward the end of the tail but was working home well and recorded a third placing behind Marcado. Hasn’t started since then but did look good winning a barrier trial here a week ago by 1 ¾. With Oliver to ride and barrier that should give her every opportunity, she looks very well placed.
Odds: $7.50
12. MING – T Berry (15)
A Lonhro filly who is trained by Gai Waterhouse that, after running last of seven in a 2yo Open race on the Kensington track, was immediately spelled. Returned just over a fortnight ago in a Kembla Grange Maiden (1000m) where she led but was no match for Kuro finishing effort and ran second, beaten 1 ½ lengths. Will be vulnerable again late if she tried to lead from a horror draw and doubt she currently has the ability to run some of these down.
Odds: $51.00
13. WEDDING – K McEvooy (12)
Darley’s sole representative in the race, the Commands started her career by running second (half a length) to Sultry Feeling in Wyong Maiden a week and a half ago. She was expected to run well as she started the 9/4 favourite but drawing the outside gate in a field of eleven, saw her two far back on the tight Wyong track and with not enough straight to haul in the winner who led throughout. The bigger Rosehill track will suit as will the anticipated pace of this race and look for her to be finishing well.
Odds: $26.00
14. PUZZLE – M Rodd (3)
Good thing were expected of her on debut back in January as the 6/4 favourite but she ran into a couple of handy ones and finished fourth (3.1 lengths) behind Nayeli (1st) and Peggy Jean (2nd). She then a brief let-up and looked good in two barrier trials she had prior to lining up in the G2 Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m). From a good draw she settled handy to the speed but was poor in the run home, dropping out to ran seventh and over eight lengths from winner, Believe Yourself. The Shamardal filly is too hard to have off of that run.
Odds: $41.00
15. MISS INTERIORS – C Newitt (4)
Anthony Cummings’ Flying Spur filly made her debut in the G2 Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m) a fortnight ago where she just held her position in the run home, finishing fifth of nine (4 ¾ lengths) to Believe Yourself. Drawn well here to take up a good spot and should be better again. Stable are going very well at the moment and if your looking for one to fill the placings at value, she could be a candidate.
Odds: $15.00
16. LANIKAI – J Parr (6)
The I Am Invincible filly ran last of six on debut back in October of last year and was immediately spelled by trainer Gerald Ryan. She won a barrier trial by five prior to contesting a Hawkesbury maiden a fortnight ago and off of that effort, started a good 5/2 chance. She had her chance in the run but only managed third (1.9 lengths) behind Castigate. On the two efforts she has produced, she’s aiming way too high here.
Odds: $41.00
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RACE OVERVIEW
Big field over a six furlongs we can expect a strong tempo. Bring Me The Maid was good on debut and then, at her first look at the Valley, was ok given that she had to come from further back than what was ideal given the way the track was playing. She should be able to settle mid-field here finish well. Similarly, Lady Sharapova looks like she’ll enjoy trailing a good speed and Oliver should have her in the right spot as they turn. From the right yard and liked the manner in which she won her trial recently. Peggy Jean has been good in each of her runs, just hope she can hold a bit of position from gate five and not get caught in behind runners that will be crossing from out wide. Given half a chance in the straight, she’ll be finishing hard. Not often you see a Darley 2yo in a feature race start $21 and thought there was enough there on debut to include Wedding at a good price.
- LADY SHARAPOVA
- BRING ME THE MAID
- PEGGY JEAN
- WEDDING
