Danny O’Brien believes Impressive Eagle can reassert herself after struggling for consistency since joining his stable last spring.
Formerly trained by Leon Macdonald and Andrew Gluyas, the five-year-old mare will try for her third win in six starts for her new stable in Saturday’s Group Three PFD Food Services Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.
However form lapses between victories have been disappointing for her followers.
After finishing ninth at her stable debut last spring at Flemington she won the Leilani Classic (1200m) at Moonee Valley then ran 10th against open class sprinters at Caulfield before winning at Flemington over 1400m.
Last start she was a midfield ninth to Beaded when first-up after eight weeks in the Group Three Hyderabad Race Club Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 12, but O’Brien is hopeful she can bounce back over the slightly longer trip on Saturday.
“Last start she was coming back in distance to 1200 metres and around Caulfield she really wasn’t suited,” O’Brien said.
“They were a bit sharp for her but she will better off at Flemington.
“Over 1400 metres on a bigger track at home it looks a nice race for her.”
Impressive Eagle has regularly competed in stakes races and her only two wins in 17 starts for her previous stable were the Listed Dequetteville (1100m) as a two-year-old and the Listed Laelia Stakes (1600m) as a three-year-old.
On Saturday she is a solid fourth favourite at $8 with TAB Sportsbet.
The Mick Price-trained Aloha has won her last three starts including most recently the Listed Lord Stakes (1700m) at Caulfield on Boxing Day and has been heavily backed from $2.80 to $2.20 to score a first-up victory.
Others in the market, Flying Tessie and I’m Discreet, have both eased half a point to $6.50 and $7 respectively while Returntosender is out from $6.50 to $9.50.
AAP TURF
