Group 1 winning mare Appearance is set to return to the races against a strong field of mares in the Group 3 Sheraco Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Appearance will begin her 2013 Spring Racing Carnival campaign in the Sheraco Stakes at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. Photo by: Steve Hart
Appearance was on track to return to racing in the Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m) at Warwick Farm on August 24 but she was withdrawn from the race after tying up and suffering muscle soreness in the lead-up to the race.
The Commands mare has not been seen at the races since her terrific autumn campaign, where she added narrow victories in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) and Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1500m) to the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) title that she won during the 2012 Spring Racing Carnival.
She has not been overly impressive in three barrier trial performances in the lead-up to her first-up assignment but trainer Guy Walter is expecting another strong campaign, with the Sheraco Stakes and the Group 3 Golden Pendant (1400m) (formerly known as the Research Stakes) and the defense of her Myer Classic crown all on the agenda.
Appearance is one of several classy mares that are set to begin their 2013 Spring Racing Carnival campaigns in the Sheraco Stakes on Saturday.
Veteran Dystopia will be making her first appearance since she finished third in the Listed Bright Shadow Handicap (1200m) during the 2013 Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival.
The daughter of Redoute’s Choice performed consistently during her last preparation, highlighted by a fourth place finish behind Bel Sprinter in the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m), but was unable to breakthrough for her first victory since she won the Listed Toy Show Quality (1300m) over a year ago.
John Thompson-trained Peron and Robert Heathcote-trained Fire Up Fifi are both set to make their racing debuts outside of Queensland after being included in the Sheraco Stakes final field.
Peron won three races in a row in impressive fashion during the 2013 Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival before performing poorly after being well-backed in the lead-up to the Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara (1600m) while Fire Up Fifi earnt the trip to Sydney with strong wins in both the Listed Spear Chief Handicap (1500m) and Listed Mercedes-Benz Mile (1600m).
Heathcote will be the only trainer with two horses in the Sheraco Stakes field with two runners, with the highly-rated Fillydelphia also on track to make the trip to Sydney.
Bennetta, Flying Snitzel, Driefontein, Arctic Flight, Aerobatics and Ichihara are the other standouts in the exciting field.
