Lady Lakshmi has been brave in defeat in recent stakes races and trainer Stephen Theodore is convinced the filly’s fortunes will change when she drops in grade at Sandown on Saturday.
Lady Lakshmi has been placed at her past three starts, twice at Listed level and once in Group Three company, including when she was denied a head in the Adelaide Guineas last time out.
Lady Lakshmi
The filly earned valuable black-type in those races and Theodore is confident of a return to the winner’s circle in Saturday’s Le Pine Funerals Plate (1600m).
“Her last three runs have been all at Group or Listed level and she has been as courageous and as brave as any horse could be without winning,” Theodore said.
“She’s had a good little freshen up in between. Her work this week has been as solid as ever. She’s got a great affinity with Sandown and you’d almost expect, barring bad luck, she goes there on Saturday and just wins.”
Lady Lakshmi has been well-travelled competing in Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney and Adelaide again at her past four starts.
Theodore is already planning for the spring so another interstate trip to Brisbane is not in the trainer’s sights.
Instead he plans to test the filly at Moonee Valley after Saturday with a view to potential spring targets like the Stocks Stakes.
Saturday’s meeting will be conducted on the Sandown Lakeside course where Lady Lakshmi scored a narrow victory in her only start at the circuit earlier this campaign.
She also has a win and a second from two starts on the Hillside course.
The $3.80 favourite, Lady Lakshmi has topweight of 60kg but apprentice Shaun Guymer will claim 2kg.
Her opposition includes Griante, winner of her past two city starts, and last-start Sandown winner Fantome Gris.
Lady Lakshmi is expected to take up her usual on-speed role from the wide gate.
“She leads or sits outside the leader. She’s not exactly the hardest horse to ride,” Theodore said.
“I would be surprised in that field on exposed form if anything could lead her. If someone got a rush of blood and wanted to take her on, it’s at their own peril.”
