Everest ambitions with Lady Laguna haven’t eventuated but trainer Annabel Neasham is hopeful the mare can make up for some lost time this spring when she races for the first time in eight weeks in the Sydney Stakes.
Last season’s Group 1 Canterbury Stakes winner has only raced once so far this carnival when unplaced in the Toy Show Quality in late August.
Neasham said the five-year-old had been scheduled to then run in the Sheraco Stakes on September 14, alongside stablemate and Saturday’s Everest contender Sunshine In Paris, but those plans had to be shelved.
“I was hoping she would be in The Everest, to be honest, but she had a little temperature and was a little bit under the weather about a week out from the Sheraco, which was the plan for her,” Neasham said.
“She’s absolutely fine now but that’s why we’re just starting again a bit later.”
Neasham, who trains in partnership with Rob Archibald, is excited about the way Lady Laguna is going heading into the Sydney Stakes but the outside barrier draw in a field of 18 has dented her confidence.
“Had she drawn a gate I was feeling bullish because she looks amazing and is working really, really well,” Neasham said.
“It’s going to take a clever ride, I think, but she looks fantastic.
“It’s a shame we missed a big chunk of the spring but this is a $2 million race over 1200-metres and we know she loves Randwick.”
Lady Laguna defeated last year’s Everest winner Think About It in the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes at Randwick over 1300m in March and Neasham said the mare showed that was no fluke when she ran a close second in the George Ryder Stakes.
The Sydney Stakes field features recent Manikato Stakes winner Southport Tycoon and fellow Group 1 winners Think About It, Overpass, Mazu and Climbing Star.
Neasham was also disappointed with Ostraka’s outside draw in Saturday’s $1 million Silver Eagle (1300m).
Ostraka is chasing his third-straight win this campaign.
“I’ll let (jockey) Blake Shinn work that one out,” Neasham said.
“That’s his job now. We’ve got the horse going, I feel, as well as we can.”
Port Lockroy was a fast-finishing third behind Ostraka last start and Neasham hopes he can finish in the top three in the Silver Eagle to earn a ballot exemption into the Golden Eagle.
