Shock ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner El Dorado Dreaming is set to line up in Saturday‘s Group 1 $500,000 Moet & Chandon Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.
El Dorado Dreaming, above, will chase another Group 1 win the 2018 Champagne Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
El Dorado Dreaming proved to be a nightmare for the punters when she stormed home at the juicy odds of $81 to beat the more fancied two year olds in the Group 1 $1m ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) on day one of The Championships at Randwick on April 7.
Trainer Ben Smith said that El Dorado Dreaming had pulled up in great shape after her upset win and will step the filly up to the 1600m for another Group 1 assignment.
“She’s super, really well. I spoke to the owner (Yvette Pearce) and she’s happy, all going well,” Smith told AAP.
Most punters and onlookers were stunned when El Dorado Dreaming flashed home from near last on the corner to nose out the favourite Oohood in the ATC Sires’ Produce, but Smith said the stable had been waiting for that to happen after the filly had been working well at home.
“It had been a bit disappointing the way she had been working at home and not sort of transferring it to a race. The penny hadn’t dropped but it did in the Sires’,” Smith said.
“We’ve been waiting a while for her to deliver a good run. It was good to see her let down and show us what she can do.”
El Dorado Dreaming had failed to win at three previous starts that resulted in two placings and a fourth and went to Randwick coming off a second in a 1200m two year old maiden at Newcastle.
Lindsay Park’s head trainer David Hayes is also contemplating backing up last Saturday’s winner and runner up Futooh and Muswellbrook in the Champagne Stakes after the juveniles ran the quinella in the Listed $150,000 China Horse Club Mile (1600m) at Randwick on day two of The Championships.
“If they eat they’ll run,” Hayes told the Herald Sun.
“I’m sure at least one of them, if not both, will be there.”
Futooh scored her second win from six race starts with her victory in the China Horse Club Mile while the lightly raced Muswellbrook was a winner at his second outing in a Mornington two year old Plate at his previous start.
