Godolphin-owned filly Flit is a clear-cut favourite for the $1 million Group One Thousand Guineas and jockey Hugh Bowman is confident only bad luck will beat her.
Flit is the $2 favourite in a field of nine for Saturday’s 1600m-feature for three-year-old fillies at Caulfield and came up with barrier two at Tuesday’s draw.
Hours earlier Bowman rode the James Cummings-trained filly in a stylish gallop on the Caulfield course proper where she strode more than a length clear of stablemate and fellow Thousand Guineas runner Tenley.
“I think she’s peaking at the right time,” Bowman said.
“She was desperately unlucky in the Prelude the other day.
“We’ve always thought that 1600 metres would be her ideal distance and she comes into the 2019 Thousand Guineas in really good form and we’re all very confident about her chances.
“She should have won the Prelude, no doubt, and with even luck in the Thousand Guineas we expect she will win it.”
Bowman has ridden Flit in her two starts this spring, with the filly charging home for second to Libertini over 1200m in the Silver Shadow Stakes in August before her luckless ninth in the Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield on September 29.
Flit was unable to get clear running in the final 200m and went to the line without being fully tested.
Group One Blue Diamond Stakes winner Lyre, who is also owned by Godolphin but is trained by Anthony Freedman, is second favourite at $7 with the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Missile Mantra $7.50.
Lyre has barrier three while Missile Mantra has the outside draw.
Thousand Guineas Prelude winner Acting ($11) is one of two runners for trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young and she has barrier six while stablemate I Am Eloquent ($21), the last-start Jim Moloney Stakes winner, has gate five.
Young believes the pair’s work on Tuesday was as good as before their previous wins.
“There wasn’t much between them in their work this morning,” Young said.
“Acting has probably got a bit more class, just with her pedigree and she’ll see the trip out definitely being by Savabeel.
“But I Am Eloquent’s work this morning, she worked on the inside of her and they were nose for nose under a strong hold right to the line.”
