Omei Sword looking for backyard G1 glory

Chris Waller is confident Omei Sword has the strength to match it with the colts in the $1 million Golden Rose.

The lure of the rich Group One purse in Omei Sword’s backyard at Rosehill on Saturday was enough to convince the trainer to take on the strong line-up of mostly males.

“What knocked me in the face was she’s got to walk 100 metres from the stables to the tie-up stalls,” Waller said.

“It’s her home track for a Group One worth $1 million.”

Omei Sword has shown her trainer she has the strength to measure up in the race but he hinted there was improvement still to come.

“She’s not foolproof yet. She’s still learning her trade,” Waller said.

If she can win, Omei Sword will be the first filly to claim the race since it was elevated to Group One status in 2009.

Forensics won when it was run at Group Two level in April 2008 because of the equine influenza outbreak the previous spring.

Of 32 other female runners since 2003, three have been placed.

Waller said trainers’ reluctance to race fillies against colts and geldings in the spring was behind the lopsided score card.

“From my personal perspective I would run 95 per cent of my fillies against their own sex because it’s sheltered,” Waller said.

“I would say that’s been a big reason behind why there wouldn’t be many fillies successful in the Golden Rose.”

Group One-winning filly Yankee Rose has been well supported with bookmakers turning her in from $11 to $8 on Wednesday.

Omei Sword remains favourite but has eased from $3.20 to $3.50 while Run To The Rose winner Astern retains the second line of betting despite drifting to $4.20.

The other filly in the race, O’Reilly Cyrus, is at $101.

Waller said the timing of the Flight Stakes three weeks after the Golden Rose was perfect for Omei Sword.

She is likely to meet stablemate Foxplay in the Flight after that filly won the Group Two Furious Stakes in dominant fashion on Saturday.

The Rosehill track was in the soft range on Wednesday as temperatures broke into the low 20s.

Between four and eight millimetres of rain are predicted to fall in Sydney’s west on Friday but fine conditions are expected for race day.