Trainer James Cummings is certain that Alizee can run up to her odds on favourite status when she takes on the boys in the 2019 Group 2 $200,000 Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Alizee, above, is the odds on favourite for the 2019 Expressway Stakes at Rosehill. Phooto by Steve Hart.
Ladbrokes.com.au have installed Alizee as the $1.95 top pick in a small field of six that includes her high profile stablemate Hartnell and Group 1 winners Trapeze Artist and Le Romain.
The Godolphin owned Alizee, the only mare in the field, is a dual Group 1 winner over 1600m at Randwick during her three year old season with wins in the 2017 Group 1 $500,000 Flight Stakes and in the 2018 Group 1 $1m Coolmore Legacy Queen Of The Turf Stakes.
The Sepoy mare also showed her versatility with a win over 1200m in the Listed $150,000 Christmas Classic at Randwick on December 29 and Cummings said that he was pleased with her effort when third in a recent 900m barrier trial at Rosehill.
“She looked wonderful in her action in a trial since her last win which was the first time at this level that she has competed against males,” Cummings said.
“This is second up after a long time off, therefore the pressure is on her to reproduce the form.”
“She’s done brilliantly between runs.”
“This is a nice, healthy, competitive race, but a small field to help her on her way before she steps up in distance.”
On the second line of betting at $3.60 is the Gerald Ryan trained Trapeze Artist who is chasing back to back wins in the Expressway Stakes.
Trapeze Artist proved to be among the top three year olds during the 2017 – 2018 racing season with a win against his own age in the Group 1 $1m De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill in the Spring followed by two wins at weight for age at Randwick during the following Autumn in the Group 1 $2.5m Darley T J Smith Stakes (1200m) and in the Group 1 $600,000 Schweppes All Aged Stakes (1400m).
Multiple Group 1 winner Hartnell will also carry the famous Godolphin royal blue colours and is marked at $11 for the Expressway Stakes and Cummings is expecting the veteran to be doing his best work over the concluding stages.
“Look for him to be running on very strongly at the finish. They wouldn’t want to be laying down with him chasing them home,” Cummings said.
