The VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes is the first time the ‘babies’ get to strut their stuff over something of a trip.
With Victoria’s most prestigious race, the Blue Diamond Stakes, run and won last month, the speed two-year-olds are now being geared towards the Golden Slipper in Sydney.
But Robbie Griffiths has had the Group 2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday in mind for Almost An Angel from the time she came into work for her first campaign.
While successful over 1000m on debut at Caulfield Heath, Griffiths has always felt the 1400m of Saturday’s race would be ideal.
Griffiths planned to run Almost An Angel third-up in Saturday’s race and the way the campaign worked out she ended up contesting the Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 21.
“She’s a So You Think and she surprised us on debut winning over the 1000 metres, as well as being a juvenile with enough speed to be competitive in the sprints,” Griffiths said.
“We ran her in the Prelude, and she was super and ran fifth and then in the Diamond, it didn’t work, they went too steady up front and sprinted and she couldn’t match it.
“Going to the 1400 metres and being by So You Think, you would imagine it should be a nice race for her.
“It has always been a target, it was how we got there, whether it was a soft option going to it. We didn’t, we took the biggest option, which just didn’t suit, but the distance here will.”
The last filly to win the Sires’ Produce was the James Cummings-trained La Tene in 2019 and before her Jameka in 2015.
Griffiths said all races Almost An Angel had run in so far have been about speed, but the majority of those speed horses are Sydney bound for the Slipper.
“The different race structure, differently run, better journey, it gives her a chance to get into the race without having it over and done in a split second,” Griffiths said.
“We always intended to target this race third-up, so I’ve always felt she has had enough fuel left, but we’ll wait and see how she goes on Saturday whether we then go to Sydney.”
