A determined win from Lady Lakshmi at Flemington has continued the filly’s winter rise while raising hopes of a stakes success.
The two-year-old filly was forced to work from a wide barrier to sit outside the leader in Saturday’s Ken Cox Handicap (1410m) and was then left in front from the top of the straight.
Lady Lakshmi winning the Ken Cox Handicap at Flemington - photo by Race Horse Photos Australia
But the daughter of Lonhro, the $3 favourite, showed her class as she kept finding under jockey Daniel Stackhouse to defeat Resistant ($21) by a length with a half-head to Razzle Dazzle Rock ($14) third.
Lady Lakshmi’s immediate target is the Listed Taj Rossi Series Final (1600m) at Flemington in two weeks but the Group One VRC Oaks (2500m) towards the end of the spring carnival is the dream for her connections.
“The first plan is that we’ll try to sneak some black type with her and this is the right time of the year to do that,” co-trainer David Feek said.
“If that’s achieved and we’ve still got a good horse on our hands, she’ll definitely come back for the spring.”
Feek, who trains in partnership with David Brideoake, believes the filly will be at her best over a staying journey and her three wins from as many starts this campaign have proven she is a youngster on the way up.
“She’s shown that she has got class and if she continues to raise the bar then the Oaks would be the ultimate goal,” Feek said.
