The addition of blinkers on Sydney filly Missybeel has given her another chance to show she is up to stakes company.
Missybeel won a restricted race at Scone two starts ago and was 5-1/4 lengths behind top filly Luvaluva in the Group Two Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) at Randwick last Saturday.
Luvaluva is one of the favourites for the Australian Oaks at Randwick while Missybeel will head to Queensland for Saturday’s Listed Princess Stakes (1600m) at the Sunshine Coast.
Trainer Bjorn Baker has elected to put the blinkers on Missybeel to sharpen her up for the drop back in distance.
Baker’s stable manager Jack Bruce said the Princess Stakes was the crossroads for Missybeel.
“She pulled up well after the Knox but we thought it was better to give her a run in slightly easier company,” Bruce said.
“Missybeel will have the blinkers and if she fires in them it will be onwards to the Queensland Oaks and its lead-up races.”
Missybeel has worked in blinkers and gone strongly this week.
She will be ridden by Tegan Harrison who has a strong book of rides for her first Saturday meeting in four months after an injury-enforced break.
