First Seal could be on the way back in to form
GROUP ONE MYER CLASSIC
1600m, $500,000, fillies and mares, weight-for-age
HISTORY:
* First run as a Listed race in 1988 and won by the Colin Hayes-trained Concordance.
* Upgraded to Group Three in 1995, Group Two in 1997 and elevated to Group One in 2004.
* Weight-for-age since 2002 when fillies became eligible.
NOTABLE WINNERS:
* Lotteria (2005), Divine Madonna (2007), Forensics (2008), Typhoon Tracy (2009) and Red Tracer (2013).
THIS YEAR’S FIELD:
* Injury-prone First Seal signalled she could be on the way back to the form which she showed when she had the wood on Winx as a three-year-old with her Group Two Tristarc Stakes victory at Caulfield.
* Tony McEvoy-trained Don’t Doubt Mamma comes into the race off back-to-back Group Two wins.
* Dixie Blossoms, trained by Ron Quinton, earned her place in the Myer with a strong victory in the Group Three Angst Stakes.
* Whispering Brook and I Am A Star will carry 49kg as they aim to be the first three-year-old fillies to win the race.
TALKING POINTS:
* The fastest time recorded was 1:34.20 by Market Price in 2001.
* Ten favourites have won the race since its inception, the latest Red Tracer ($3.10) in 2013. First Seal is this year’s $4.20 favourite.
KEY COMMENTS:
* “She has had a couple of serious injuries but she is now sound and happy and if she is at her best, she can win on Saturday.” – First Seal’s trainer John Thompson.
* “I know a filly hasn’t won it but she’s only three runs in, it’s not as if she’s at the end of her prep.” – Perth Trainer Simon Miller on Whispering Brook.
* “The Myer is her race. This mare has just got a great winning culture.” – Trainer Tony McEvoy on Don’t Doubt Mamma.
