The return to winning form by Streama has boosted Guy Walter’s confidence ahead of her bid for a third Group One in Saturday’s Myer Classic at Flemington.
The winner of last season’s Flight Stakes and Australian Oaks, Streama’s first two starts this campaign were mixed when she followed a first-up third to More Joyous with an indifferent sixth behind Red Tracer, both over 1200 metres.
Walter pinpointed the Myer Classic as Streama's spring mission months ago
Hugh Bowman, who has been aboard the mare in all of her 16 race starts, reverted to a pattern from early in her career when he led all the way from the outside barrier in the Group Two Tristarc Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield last Saturday week.
She drew a little better in barrier nine of 13 in Saturday’s Myer (1600m) and Walter said her Tristarc win demonstrated her versatility.
“She is very adaptable and Hugh knows her extremely well,” Walter said.
“Everything is going to plan.”
Walter pinpointed the Myer Classic as her spring mission months ago, resisting the temptation to stretch her over longer distances.
She had to work hard to cover the 2400 metres of the Oaks with her obvious class the telling factor in her narrow victory over Aliyana Tilde.
Streama was at the head of the TAB’s opening markets on the Myer at $3.30 ahead of Secret Admirer ($5.50) with Red Tracer, Yosei and Pear Tart all $8.
While he agrees with the market assessment, Walter is also expecting good performances from the mare’s stablemates Skyerush and Appearance.
Skyerush is a Group Two winner of the Emancipation Stakes (1600m) at Randwick during the autumn and ran third in last year’s Matriarch Stakes (2000m) at Flemington.
Appearance won the Group Three Keith Nolan Classic (1600m) at Kembla Grange in March and finished seventh in the Tristarc, 4-1/2 lengths behind her stablemate.
One of a group of fillies and mares Walter trains for Sheikh Mohammed, Appearance is posted at $26 with Skyerush a $21 chance.
“All three worked on the course proper at Flemington on Tuesday morning and I’m pleased with them,” Walter said.
“They have all come on well.”
Blake Shinn will ride Skyerush with Michael Rodd to partner Appearance.
Sheikh Mohammed will also be represented by the Peter Snowden-trained Raspberries with Darley’s number one rider Kerrin McEvoy aboard.
