Trainer John Thompson is convinced Flying Embers has the potential to continue working her way through the grades this preparation and is hopeful the three-year-old filly can land her first city success at Canterbury on Monday.
The daughter of Shalaa broke her maiden at Newcastle at her fourth career start in October and then returned from a spell and came from midfield to overhaul her rivals in a 1100m Class One Midway at Hawkesbury on April 5 to make it two-straight victories.
Thompson has kept Flying Embers at 1100m for Monday’s Exceedance @ Vinery Stud Handicap with apprentice William Stanley, who rode Flying Embers to victory at Hawkesbury, retaining the ride, claiming 3kg off the 60.5kg weight in the benchmark-64 event for fillies and mares.
“She’s a really nice filly,” Thompson said.
“She won nicely first-up. She’ll probably get better over further but (Monday’s race) was a nice race for her so we kept her at the 1100 metres.
“She hasn’t missed a beat between runs and she’s a horse going places, she just needs a bit of luck from the draw.
“She’s a nice, big strong filly.
“Hopefully she can go through a few grades this time in.”
Flying Embers drew barrier 10 in a field of 14 plus two emergencies, although there have already been a couple of scratchings.
“It’s tricky,” Thompson said of the draw.
“There’s a bit of speed outside us, not so much inside us, so I’d say we’ll just jump positively and just see where we can be.”
With luck in running, Thompson believes Flying Embers can prove hard to beat again on Monday.
“I was worried at Hawkesbury it might be a bit tight for her but she managed to get around there well, so Canterbury shouldn’t be a problem,” the trainer said.
“But it’s all about getting a nice run at Canterbury.”
Flying Embers has raced at Canterbury once before, finishing fourth over 1100m last September in a Super Maiden won by subsequent stakes winner Amelita.
“She got back and hit the line that day, but she should be a bit closer this time,” Thompson said.
Flying Embers is on the third line of early betting, with the Kris Lees-trained filly Flame Of Hestia, who is a half-sister to retired dual G1 winner In Her Time, the favourite.
Flame Of Hestia has also won her past two starts including a big-margin win in a 900m Class 1 at Newcastle at her most recent outing when first-up from a spell.
In the 1100m Benchmark-94 Handicap on Monday’s public holiday meeting, the James Cummings-trained Pisanello headlines a field of 10 which also includes his stablemate Renosu, while the Peter Snowden-trained Fire Star resumes from a spell chasing a fifth-straight win.
