First Seal has shown flashes of that brilliance in between hoof problems
As spring three-year-olds First Seal had the wood on Winx including a dominant victory in the Group One Flight Stakes.
In the 2-1/2 years since, First Seal has shown flashes of that brilliance in between several enforced breaks because of hoof problems while Winx has gone on to become a champion.
On Saturday at Randwick, Winx is shooting for her 10th Group One win in the weight-for-age Chipping Norton Stakes while First Seal lines up against her own sex in the Group Two Guy Walter Stakes.
First Seal’s trainer John Thompson is confident all is well with her troublesome feet and buoyed by the performance of another horse with a history of hoof issues, the Joe Pride-trained Terravista, winner of the Lightning Stakes last Saturday.
“I’ve got the same farrier as Joe Pride, Kirk Nicholson, and hopefully we get the same result,” Thompson said.
“First Seal’s feet are really good. She won a trial and she’s perfect going into the race.”
First Seal is the $4.20 third elect in the race with her stablemate Zanbagh at $15.
If predicted rain in Sydney softens the track, Thompson says Zanbagh will be a force.
“Zanbagh goes well first-up and ran second in this race last year and if the track was rain-affected, that would suit her,” he said.
“They are both going great but First Seal does have a lot of class.
“I’m lucky to have two quality mares going into the race with the plan for both to go two weeks to the Coolmore Classic and then the Queen Of The Turf.”
Zanbagh was a dual Oaks runner-up when trained by the late Guy Walter and finished second in the race named in his honour last year.
Thompson won the inaugural running of the Guy Walter in 2015 with Danesiri.
