Owner David Fuller may have found a carnival replacement for Metal Bender in Iron Lace who took another step towards the AJC Australian Oaks with victory at Randwick on Wednesday.
Triple Group One winner Metal Bender is undergoing treatment for a tendon injury and will be off the scene for at least six months.
After breaking her maiden over 1800 metres at Hawkesbury on February 3, the Chris Waller-trained Iron Lace won again over 1900 metres at Canterbury 15 days later.
The Queens Park Hcp (1800m) was a tougher race again and she came through with flying colours to beat Diamond Jim by three-quarters of a length.
“I originally bought the filly for (the late) Jack Denham,” Fuller said.
“Jack had trained the whole family and was trying to buy a good horse.
“I’m hoping she can now go on to the Oaks.
“So far it’s a small consolation for not having Metal Bender here.
“He underwent a new revolutionary treatment for tendon damage today and they say it takes six months to recover.”
Waller said Iron Lace would progress to the Group One Storm Queen Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on April 2.
“That will tell us where we are at with her,” he said.
“She’s a promising filly and the Oaks is the aim.”
Iron Lace’s stablemate King Gladiator finished fourth and is among Waller’s entries for the AJC Australian Derby.
The Gai Waterhouse-trained Needs Further could also be a Derby contender after claiming his second win from three starts in the Woollahra Hcp (1400m).
“He will go to the Tulloch Stakes next,” Waterhouse said.
“I put a nomination in last week for the Derby so we’ll see what happens.
“He is a very promising horse in the making.”
Tim Clark rode Needs Further and brought up a double for Waterhouse aboard Tullamore in the Jirsch Sutherland Hcp (2400m).
Tullamore was formerly trained in New Zealand and joined the Waterhouse stable last year.
Earlier, David Payne produced King’s Pact to win the two-year-old race on the program in a tight finish from Gunhilda.
Payne said the gelding was a horse who would get better over distance and a race like the Fernhill Handicap over 1600 metres during the carnival was on the radar.
However, the trainer still has Golden Slipper ambitions for Defiant Dame who contests the Reisling Stakes on Saturday.
The filly ran sixth in the Sweet Embrace Stakes at Warwick Farm but Payne said the seven-day back-up should not be a problem.
“Saturday will tell us if she’s good enough to keep going to the Slipper,” he said.
AAP TURF
