Thousand Guineas contender gets a look at Caulfield
The competition will be tougher on Saturday but Ballarat trainer Mitch Freedman was happy to give Skybird a confidence-boosting practice run at Caulfield on Tuesday morning.
The undefeated filly had her first look at the scene of the $1.5 million Group 1 Thousand Guineas, where she worked with a modestly-performed stablemate who was ridden by Freedman.
Skybird, with raceday jockey Beau Mertens aboard, sat off the partner before joining in in the straight under light riding and shading the partner on the line.
It was an important hitout ahead of the biggest test in Skybird’s brief career to date and Freedman was happy to feel her casually loom alongside his mount late in the workout.
“I was really happy with her, she just sat off her workmate, joined in up the straight and she seemed to quicken really well and take it all in,” Freedman said.
“Beau was happy, so she’s ticked the boxes this morning.
“We’re not out there to really test them, just give them a look around, stretch their legs and let them enjoy it.
“She had a little victory near the line, she stuck her head in front, so she should be feeling good about herself after that.”
Skybird will be chasing a fourth-straight win to start her career when she takes on the likes of Coeur Volante, Arctic Glamour and Joliestar in the 1600-metre Thousand Guineas.
The daughter of Exosphere did not start her career until September 22, when she effortlessly won a 1200m Ballarat maiden at $15, followed by benchmark 64 victory over 1300m at Bendigo on October 8 before a last-to-first win in the Group 2 Fillies Classic (1600m) at The Valley on Cox Plate Day.
Skybird overcame a tricky position on the fence to win at The Valley, but started from the outside alley in the field of 10, and Freedman would love to see her with more clear air this weekend.
“She’s drawn the outside or second outside in her three career runs. A middle draw would be perfect, we’ll just take what we can get…(but) I’d hate to draw one,” Freedman said.
More Racing News
Dan Morton keeps faith with 2024 Railway Stakes mare
Trainer Dan Morton has shrugged aside Super Smink’s horror barrier draw and still thinks she can win the Group 1 Swan Draught-Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on Saturday. A layer of complexity was added to Super Smink’s Railway Stakes bid after she was handed barrier 18, but Dan Morton is keeping the...
Timing right for Port Lockroy in G1 Railway Stakes bid
He’s one of five interstate raiders and the outsider of the quintet, but co-trainer, Rob Archibald believes there is a sense of timing about Port Lockroy in Saturday’s Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot. Rob Archibald, who shares training duties with Annabel Neasham, says Port Lockroy put himself into Railway Stakes...
Royal task for Gilded Water at local debut
A benchmark race on The Gong undercard will add some Royal flavour to the stand-alone Kembla Grange meeting when a horse owned by His Majesty King Charles III makes his local debut. Four-year-old Gilded Water has been sent to Australia to continue his racing career, having started just four times in the...
Jason Collett hoping to find Express lane in The Gong
Jason Collett is resigned to the fact that he will be more reliant on luck than good management as he tries to coax another win out of Territory Express in the $1 million The Gong at Kembla Grange. The Provincial-Midway Championships Final victor in the autumn, Territory Express has a get-back racing pattern...
Improving trio to fly flag for Godolphin at Kembla Grange
Godolphin doesn’t have a representative in The Gong, but James Cummings is content to rely on a trio of up-and-coming sprinters to carry the stable’s hopes at the stand-alone Kembla Grange meeting. Fleetwood will headline the leading yard’s squad when he resumes in the Group 3 The Warra (1000m), while Pisanello and Restonica contest benchmark...
Mark Walker aims for ‘new’ hometown Cranbourne Cup
Trainer Mark Walker has a good record when in form New Zealand gallopers land in Australia. Walker’s latest ‘import’ is It’s A Wild Night who will have his first Australian outing in the Listed Cranbourne Cup (1600m) on Saturday. It’s A Wild Night arrived at Walker’s Cranbourne base just over a week ago...
Trainer Gavin Bedggood chasing Fortune in The Meteorite
Gavin Bedggood hopes the decision to take Oscar’s Fortune to Cranbourne for a midweek gallop will pay off handsomely on Saturday. Oscar’s Fortune runs in the $1 million The Meteorite (1200m), a new ‘slot race’ that Southside Racing, a merged entity of the Cranbourne and Pakenham Clubs, runs for the first time. The former...
Railway Stakes 2024 timing perfect for Baker’s Bel
In-form mare Belclare will need to overcome a wide alley to land her first Australian Group One win in the Railway Stakes at Ascot, and connections believe Nash Rawiller is the perfect man for the job. A two-time victor at the highest level in New Zealand, Belclare joined the Sydney stable of Bjorn...
John Stewart eyes Melbourne with 2024 Japan Cup fancy
Goliath faces one of the toughest tasks in racing this weekend, beating the Japanese at home in their biggest race, but John Stewart is already planning his next moves with his star recruit and Australia is on the itinerary. The ambitious American has quickly become a powerful investor in Australian racing and...
Hedged poised to give The Warra rivals a trim-up
The Magic Millions carnival is the campaign focal point for promising sprinter Hedged, but trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr are hoping he can knock off a feature race along the way. The gelding will resume in the Group 3 The Warra (1000m) at Kembla Grange on Saturday, his first start...
