Newcastle trainer Kris Lees will use Saturday’s Roman Consul Stakes to decide if Willinga Beast will take the trip to Melbourne for the group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes.
The Snitzel filly has been close in the first three legs of the Princess Series, her best finish being runner-up to North Star Lass in the Furious Stakes, but Lees felt she wouldn’t get to a mile in Saturday’s Flight Stakes after her fifth in the Tea Rose Stakes, 3¾ lengths from Zougotcha.
Willinga Beast on the outside fights out the finish of the Percy Sykes Stakes with Paris Dior in April.Credit:Getty
“She didn’t quite run out the 1400m the other day, so we took the option of freshening her up and going back to 1200m in a group 2,” Lees said.
“She has always been a very good filly and I think we saw in the Flight that form from the Princess Series is very strong, so I’m not worried about taking on the boys.
“She will handle a soft track and I think 1200m might be her best trip and it can decide if it’s worth taking down to Melbourne for some nice races at Flemington.”
Willinga Beast has twice been a runner-up at group 2 level, in the Percy Sykes Stakes as a two-year-old and the Furious Stakes, which were both over the Randwick 1200m.
Annabel Neasham is likely to send impressive Heritage Stakes winner Economics to Melbourne for the Blue Sapphire, a race that is also being targeted by Golden Slipper runner-up Best of Bordeaux.
Neasham will keep San Domenico Stakes winner Sweet Ride at Randwick as her representative, which was saved to run in the Roman Consul Stakes after his third in the Run To The Rose.
Queensland trainer Tony Gollan is also keen to follow the proven pathway to the Coolmore Stud Stakes with Nettuno, which has not left Sydney since a luckless fourth in the Run To The Rose behind In Secret.
“He went out to the waterwalker at Hawkesbury to have a freshen up, when it was clear he wouldn’t get the 1400m in the Golden Rose,” Gollan said.
“I’m really happy with him and this race, being a group 2, for a colt is very important. It is a tried-and-tested way to get to the Coolmore, which is the target race for him in the spring. I think if he can get a clear run, you will see the best of him on Saturday.”
Gollan will send down Toowoomba Guineas winner Churchill filly Madame Odette, a winner of two of her three starts, for the Gloaming Stakes with the Spring Champion Stakes in mind.
“She is a filly that is getting better as she steps up in trip and it will be a good test for her,” Gollan said.
Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou will back-up Dulcify Stakes winner Williamsburg in the Gloaming Stakes after he outclassed his rivals on Saturday.
“He just needed to get up over that sort of trip and getting back to set weights was a big advantage, he was always going to run well,” Alexiou said. “We knew that this is when he will get into the races, which suit him, and always planned to back him back-up into the Gloaming over the 1800m.
“His recovery after the race on Saturday was fantastic and he is right on track for the Spring Champion Stakes.”
