Adelaide option for Almost An Angel

Image: Pat Scala

A Stakes race in Adelaide has won out of a similar contest at Flemington for Almost An Angel. 

After much thought, Robbie Griffiths and connections have decided on a Stakes race in Adelaide to try and achieve some important ‘Black Type’ for Almost An Angel.

The two-year-old has been scratched from the Group 3 Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes (1200m) at Flemington in favour of the Listed Dequetteville Stakes (1050m) at Morphettville on Saturday.

A debut winner on the Caulfield Heath in November, Almost An Angel contested the Blue Diamond Prelude at Caulfield over 1100m, finishing fifth, before heading to the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) on February 21, running 11th to Streisand.

Almost An Angel was then scheduled to run in the Group 2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on March 7, but a wide barrier coupled with an eye infection saw her miss that race.

Griffiths said he had been keen to run Almost An Angel up the straight at Flemington on Saturday but conceded the race at Morphettville was a better fit for the filly in her bid to attain ‘Black Type’.

“We’re keen to get ‘Black Type’ because she’s got the talent and deserves to have it,” Griffiths said.

“She ran fifth in the (Blue Diamond) Prelude and if she runs fourth, she gets the big black writing next to her name.

“Damian Lane was pretty happy with her that day and said we should have a throw at the stumps in the big one and she drew poorly and got into a bad spot, so it was a forgive run.

“She was in the Sires’ but she drew wide and had a bit of an eye infection, so we decided to miss that and switch our attention to one these races.

“We sent her down the beach, she’s done some steady work, and here we are.”

Griffiths said there was pro’s and con’s for each race on Saturday.

“She’s never been down the straight, so that was a negative, but the 1200 metres would suit,” Griffiths said.

“But in saying that she’s won at 1000 (metres) at Caulfield Heath and she was terrific at 1100 (metres) at Caulfield, so you would think 1050 metres on a big track at Morphettville would be good.

“There is the travel over to Adelaide, but Morphettville is the better option, so we’ll head over and give it a shot.”

Luke Currie takes the ride on Almost An Angel on Saturday.