Bring Me Roses will chase a Group Two win on Turnbull Stakes day for the second year in a row when she begins her preparation aimed at an elusive Group One victory.
The Tony McEvoy-trained Bring Me Roses won the Group Two Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) for three-year-old fillies on last year’s Turnbull Stakes program at Flemington and on Saturday she lines up in the Group Two Blazer Stakes (1400m) for mares.
McEvoy is aiming Bring Me Roses at the Group One Myer Classic (1600m) for fillies and mares at Flemington on November 3.
The Manifold win is Bring Me Roses’ only victory from 12 starts but she has been placed at stakes level five times including a second in last year’s Group One VRC Oaks and a third in the Group One Australian Guineas in March.
The mare has not started since finishing last in the Australasian Oaks in May.
McEvoy believes she has the class and is sharp enough to make her presence felt at 1400m.
“She looks magnificent and she’s going very well,” McEvoy said.
“She has drawn to get a good run from barrier three. She will be improved with racing but she’s really bright and well.
“I think she’s sharp enough.”
McEvoy also has Temple Of Bel kicking off her campaign on a path towards next month’s Group Two Matriarch Stakes (2000m).
“She trialled as well as Bring Me Roses and she has come back well,” McEvoy said.
“Of course she is not the class of Bring Me Roses at this stage but she’s got potential.
“Her run in the Centaurea Stakes last preparation ( second) was very good so I thought I’d try to get her to the Matriarch Stakes and this is a good kick-off race.”
Godolphin mare Savatiano was the $3.90 favourite on Friday, just ahead of the Chris Waller-trained Invincibella at $5.
Winx’s travelling companion for her latest Melbourne visit, Invincibella was a luckless fourth in the Group Two Golden Pendant in Sydney at her most recent start.
“Invincibella comes to Flemington in very good form,” Waller said.
“She was very unlucky last start not to have won but she did win well first-up.”
