Baden Road heads to Broadmeadow en route to bigger things

A powerful-finishing metropolitan mare destined to win better quality races looks set to strike second up at Sunday’s feature Newcastle meeting.

Baden Road, a strongly built four-year-old daughter of Brazen Beau, tackles a benchmark 64 over 1200m to close the meeting.

Based in the John Sargent stable at Randwick, Baden Road proved she’s returned in fine order this preparation, motoring home from near last to be beaten under a length first up at Kembla.

Over 200m further on another track with plenty of room to settle back and get home, Baden Road can take another step towards a Saturday summer target and claim a third win at her 13th start.

Meanwhile, the latest crop of metropolitan-educated youngsters head out of town to announce their arrival. And punters won’t have to wait long with exciting filly Blanc De Blanc likely to be all the rage in the opener for the two-year-olds over the flying 900m at set weights.

A daughter of prolific I Am Invincible and based in the Michael Freedman stable, Blanc De Blanch had tongues wagging earlier this month when she bolted in in a Kensington trial by more than three lengths, comfortably running a slick 33.20 seconds for her final 600m.

She has reportedly trained on strongly since and threatens to go around the hottest favourite on the Newcastle program with top pilot James McDonald in the saddle.

Then later in another 900m dash for the older maidens, fellow debutant and star trial performer Flying Shelley will also attempt to hit the ground running for the Bjorn Baker yard at Warwick Farm.

A three-year-old daughter of powerhouse group 1-winning sprinter Flying Artie, Flying Shelley has tuned up for her debut winning both recent trials by a distance.