Rival trainers hoping benchmark filly Streama could be vulnerable first-up on Saturday might need to think again.
There has been a school of thought that if there is a good time to meet Streama this autumn it is in the Group Two Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) when she isn’t race fit or at her pet distance.
But Streama’s trainer Guy Walter said one of his filly’s great strengths was her versatility.
“I think that’s probably fairly right but she’s shown before what an adaptable filly she is,” Walter said.
“She can sit up on the speed if it’s slowly run.
“She can sit off the speed and unleash a great sprint when they go fast. That’s a great attribute.”
Streama was the superstar filly in Sydney last spring winning the Furious, Tea Rose and Flight Stakes.
Her only defeat came first-up in the Silver Shadow when she was third to Pane In The Glass.
She has barrier 11 at Warwick Farm on Saturday and while the recent rain has caused havoc for some trainers trying to prepare their carnival horses, that hasn’t been the case for Walter with Streama.
“She’s working really well. Given all this weather, we’ve been very fortunate not only to get a couple of trials … but we’ve been able to get on the course proper a few times,” Walter said.
“We’ve been pretty lucky getting her ready so I think she’s going to be pretty right for this race.”
Streama was the $3.60 TAB Sportsbet favourite on Thursday, just shading flying filly Karuta Queen ($3.80) who is set to back up from her fourth at Caulfield last weekend when she missed the start.
The Patinack Farm pair of Pane In The Glass ($12) and Kneeling ($14), Gai Waterhouse’s new recruit Hallowell Belle ($10) and Queenslander Emmalene ($12) add further depth.
In an interesting race for punters, 14 fillies in the field of 16 plus two emergencies will be having their first or second runs from a spell.
“They’ve all got to come back, including Streama,” Walter said.
“But she’s given us every indication she has and she’s relatively lightly raced.”
Walter will also start Group One winner Doctor Doom in the Royal Sovereign Stakes (1200m) while mares Balmont and Foxstar round out his black-type hopefuls in the Group Two Breeders Classic (1200m).
“Balmont made great progress last preparation,” Walter said.
“She won the Nivison, she ran second up the straight in Melbourne. She’s a very good mare fresh but not overly happy in the wet ground.
“Same thing for Foxstar. She’s shown herself to be an extremely handy mare around 1600 metres.
“She’s getting better all the time but she’s not one hundred per cent happy on wet ground.”
Warwick Farm was rated in the slow range on Thursday.
AAP TURF
