Stablemates Speak Fondly and English are set to clash in the Group 2 $175,000 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on August 22 when they kick off their Spring Carnival campaigns.

The Gai Waterhouse trained English, above, is set to clash with stablemate Speak Fondly in the Silver Shadow Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.

The Gai Waterhouse trained fillies are both ready to resume racing after showing tremendous potential during their two year old season and are set to take on a smart field of three year old fillies in two and half weeks

Waterhouse tweeted today that both fillies have been stars of early morning  trackwork and are on track and ready to perform well when they resume.

Danny Beasley was aboard Speak Fondly for her Tuesday morning gallop and reported to Waterhouse that the Northern Meteor filly felt fantastic.

“Speak Fondly felt “fantastic” for Danny Beasley this AM. Couldn’t be happier heading into Gr. 2 Silver Shadow Stakes 22nd,” Waterhouse tweeted.

The First Lady Of The Turf was equally excited about the chances of Golden Slipper runner up English who Kerrin McEvoy rated the best of his early morning rides.

“Golden Slipper runner up English was Kerrin McEvoy’s best of the AM. On target for the 22nd, Gr.2 Silver Shadow Stakes,” Waterhouse posted on twitter.

Speak Fondly earned a place in the Group 1 $3.5m Tooheys New Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill during the Autumn Carnival when she took out the Group 2 $175,000 Magic Night Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill the week before.

But the quick back up into the toughest two year old race in the world was a tough call but she wasn’t disgraced and finished a creditable eleventh behind her glamour stablemate Vancouver before being sent for break.

Waterhouse has given Speak Fondly two barrier trials at Randwick in preparation for her return in the Silver Shadow Stakes with a win over 735m on July 20 followed by a second to Group 1 winner Temple Of Boom over 840m on July 31.

English finished third in the same trial and has progressed nicely in preparation for her first outing since running sixth to Pride Of Dubai in the Group 1 $1m ATC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on April 6.

At her previous start English ran the race of her life when she chased home Vancouver to collect the runner’s up cheque in the Golden Slipper.

English had earned her spot in the Golden Slipper field with a win at her previous start in the Group 2 $300,000 Guinness Reisling Stakes (1200m) at Randwick two weeks earlier.