A pair of stakes performed fillies showed out with trial wins at Flemington on Friday.
Last year's Group III Thoroughbred Club Stakes winner Hear The Chant led all the way to win her 800m heat in good style while the Chris Waller-trained Overstep, Listed placed at her last two starts, was untroubled to win her heat in the fastest time of the morning.
Friday's heats were on the steeple grass, starting from the 800m with the markers out four metres and the ground riding in the good(4) range.
Below is a review of five heats for punters to take note of.
Click here to see all 12 heats.
|
Heat 1 - 800m 47.94 seconds (Hand timed) |
|
1st SWORD OF LIGHT (M Ellerton & S Zahra) |
|
2nd REDKIRK WARRIOR (Lindsay Park Racing) |
|
3rd FLYING AURORA (L & T Corstens) |
|
Analysis: Another nice effort from Sword Of Light which quickly settled on the lead and travelled strongly at the bend ahead of Kilmacurragh and Flying Aurora on the inside. Nudged along over the final 75m Sword Of Light had one length to spare over Redkirk Warrior , fourth to the turn and making smooth headway in the straight under no pressure. Flying Aurora was slapped up off the bend and stayed on for third, three-quarters of a length away with Kilmacurragh alongside.
|
|
Heat 2 - 800m 48.24 seconds |
|
1st VERSTAPPEN (D O'Brien) |
|
2nd PETITION (L & A Freedman) |
|
3rd PORT TRIANO (M Kavanagh) |
|
Analysis: Gelded since his last preparation, Verstappen looks a different horse. Quickly on the lead with Vandancer on his quarters, Verstappen travelled strongly all the way and still well on the bridle under Craig Williams at the line to score by a neck. Petition just as strong, fourth and pulling before the bend and restrained in the straight. Port Triano raced wide from the off, ranging up off the bend and staying on to be beaten 1 1/2-lengths. Vandancer was always under a good grip in the home straight and beaten two lengths. Rising Romance was last of the six at the bend and not knocked around at all in the run to the line.
|
|
Heat 5 - 800m 49.66 seconds |
|
1st GIRL GONE FLYIN' (Hawkes Racing) |
|
2nd VENGEUR MASQUE (M Moroney) |
|
3rd ROCKSETTA (M Kavanagh) |
|
Analysis: The unraced Girl Gone Flyin' bounced straight to the lead with Vengeur Masque on her outside. Travelling strongly all the way she had three-quarters of a length to spare over Vengeur Masque, ridden along over the final 75m to stay in touch but going well for a stayer. Rocksetta was third all the way, widest around the bend and not asked to do any more the same distance away. English Group winner Foundation was fourth all the way, only ridden along over the final 100m.
|
|
Heat 7 - 800m 47.96 seconds |
|
1st HEAR THE CHANT (Lindsay Park Racing) |
|
2nd CRYSTAL FOUNDATION (L & A Freedman) |
|
3rd WAR LEGEND (M Moroney) |
|
Analysis: Hear The Chant led after five strides and crossed to the cones ahead of Sky Strike, Crystal Foundation, Mutarakem and Skilled Assassin in a line. Clear off the bend Dwayne Dunn allowed Hear The Chant to roll along, scoring by four lengths over Crystal Foundation with War Legend making good headway under no pressure in the straight, having been last of the six off the bend.
|
|
Heat 10 - 800m 47.79 seconds |
|
1st OVERSTEP (C Waller) |
|
2nd SO BELLE (Lindsay Park Racing) |
|
3rd ASHLEIGH RAE (M Ellerton & S Zahra) |
|
Analysis: This was run strongly from the off with the blinkered Overstep straight on the lead from the inside barrier and two lengths clear of So Belle at halfway and another three lengths back to Ashleigh Rae . Ben Melham was motionless 100m out and took a look over his shoulder, going on to score by four lengths and value for more. So Belle was ridden along over the final 150m to be second, a neck in front of Ashleigh Rae, slapped up over the final 100m. Soho Ruby raced wide from the off and was not asked to do a lot, finishing fourth, three lengths behind Ashleigh Rae at the finish.
|
