Stakes races in Sydney and Melbourne beckon for speedy filly Satin Shoes, among them Saturday’s Group One Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield.
The Clarry Conners-trained three-year-old showed her readiness with an exhibition gallop between races at Warwick Farm on Saturday.
With Blake Shinn on board, Satin Shoes worked on the outside of stablemate Dear Demi and the fillies went to the line locked together in the 800m gallop.
The hit-out delighted Conners but the trainer said he was still no closer on deciding a return run for Satin Shoes but an Oakleigh Plate start hinges on being able to find a lightweight jockey.
“At the moment I can’t get a jockey to ride at 52 kilograms,” Conners said.
The alternative is the Listed Fireball Quality (1100m) at Rosehill a week later.
Satin Shoes won the Widden Stakes and Silver Slipper as a two-year-old and returned in the spring to take out the Quezette Stakes first-up at Caulfield.
She didn’t have much luck at her next three runs before bouncing back to score another 1100 metre win at Caulfield in October.
She then turned in arguably her career-best performance when third behind star colts Sepoy and Foxwedge in the Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes down the Flemington straight.
Should connections opt to head to the Oakleigh Plate first-up, a possible clash with Sepoy awaits with his trainer Peter Snowden still not committing him to a start.
The 1100m race is expected to boast the likes of dual Group One winner Toorak Toff and Queenslander Woorim.
Regardless of which path Satin Shoes takes first-up, Conners’ long-term goal is the Group One Galaxy (1100m) at Randwick on April 21, Doncaster Mile day.
“It’s a nice race for her at the end of the carnival and she loves Randwick,” he said.
AAP TURF
