Matthew Smith is taking it one run at a time with three-year-old filly Idle Flyer, who is an odds-on favourite in the Precise Air benchmark 68 (1400m) at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
A last-start benchmark 64 winner over 1250m at Randwick Kensington, the daughter of Dundeel will step up in trip and grade against just three rivals as Smith learns more about her.
“I’ve been happy with her,” Smith said.
“She’s shaping up like she might be able to compete in some better races than this, but we’ll just have to see how she goes tomorrow.”
Out of Street Cry mare Progressive, Idle Flyer is bred to get over more ground and Smith believes that will eventuate sooner rather than later.
“She’s always looked like a mile would suit her, and we’ll try this preparation for sure. I don’t know what will happen after this race, because she’s eligible for that Inglis race down in Melbourne, so down the straight. We’ll just have to have a bit of a think about it after tomorrow,” Smith said.
“We’ll go up to a mile and see how she handles that and then, I’m not sure if she’ll go further, but a mile won’t be a problem, and then beyond that you never know, really until you try.”
“I’d like to get her in a couple of stakes races, those three-year-old fillies’ races, so she’s on the way, anyway.”
Having come from the back to win in a field of eight last start, Wednesday presents a new challenge for Idle Flyer in the field of four, drawn the widest barrier with Zac Lloyd retaining the ride, but Smith believes she’s adaptable enough to overcome any tempo related issues.
“She’s got a good turn of foot, she showed that last start at Randwick, they didn’t go that quick and she was able to run them down,” Smith said.
“1400 (metres) won’t be a problem for her, I think she should be hard to beat tomorrow.”
“There are a couple of other horses in there that go pretty good, so I don’t know, but everyone’s sort of looking to find out about where they’re up to. That’ll be a bit of a race to see how they’re travelling.”
Idle Flyer is a $1.85 favourite for the opening race on Wednesday and is also in markets for the Australian Oaks as an $101 chance.
