Co-trainer Calvin McEvoy is hopeful Pretty Brazen can carry her spring form over to the autumn when she returns at Flemington.
After two less than flattering runs in Sydney to start her spring campaign, Pretty Brazen returned to Melbourne to win three of her next four starts, culminating in the Sandown Guineas (1600m).
On Saturday, Pretty Brazen begins her next campaign in The Vanity (1400m) and McEvoy, who trains in partnership with his father Tony, could not be happier with the filly’s lead-up.
Pretty Brazen, under Luke Currie, won a recent 800m jump-out at Flemington lowering the colours of Despatch and Tofane, both entrants in Saturday’s Group One Lightning Stakes.
“We were very happy with Despatch’s jump-out but I think the jump-out of Pretty Brazen would have taken the cake,” McEvoy said.
“She’s a miler, or we think she’s a miler, and to beat a 1200-metre Group One winner over 800 metres is pretty impressive.
“Luke thought she felt very sharp and was in the right order for The Vanity on Saturday for her first-up run.”
McEvoy said the Australian Guineas (1600m) on February 29 was the next target then hopefully a start in the $5 million All-Star Mile (1600m) at Caulfield two weeks later.
Like last year’s All-Star Mile winner Mystic Journey, Pretty Brazen is a three-year-old and McEvoy said if the filly does not gain a start, they would consider a return to Sydney.
However the stable is wary after Pretty Brazen beat only one home in the the Silver Shadow Stakes at Randwick before finishing last at that venue in a benchmark race in September.
“We took her up to Sydney last campaign and she just didn’t go on that leg,” McEvoy said.
“We were a bit confused about that, but we have had horses in the past that just don’t go that way for some reason.
“But she is a very, very smart filly that we have a lot of time for.”
