Blackiston Hopeful Suavito Can Finish In Futurity Stakes Placings

Suavito will return to racing in the 2015 Futurity Stakes and trainer Nigel Blackiston is hopeful that the talented mare can finish in the placings in the Group 1 event at Caulfield on Saturday.

Girl In Flight is set to return to the races for the first time since she scored a tough win in the 2014 Matriarch Stakes. Photo by: Sarah Ebbett

Girl In Flight is set to return to the races for the first time since she scored a tough win in the 2014 Matriarch Stakes. Photo by: Sarah Ebbett

Suavito started her 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign with a win in the Catanach’s Jewellers Plate (1400m) at Caulfield on August 30 and was a close second at Caulfield on September 20 before she refused to leave the barriers in the Group 2 Blazer Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on October 4.

The Thorn Park mare returned to a semblance of her best form with a third place finish in the Group 3 Ladies Day Vase (1600m) at Caulfield on October 15 before she scored back-to-back wins in the Group 3 Eliza Park International Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on October 25 and the Group 2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on November 8.

Blackiston told RSN this morning that Suavito has returned in the autumn as an even stronger horse and he believes that there is no reason the four-year-old can’t record her maiden Group 1 placing in the 2015 Futurity Stakes this weekend.

“She is doing very well,” Blackiston said.

“She had a nice break after a great spring and I am looking forward to the start of her autumn campaign.

“When you got back through her form she was unlucky in some of those races as an early three-year-old.

“She had two great wins and she has come back bigger and stronger for the autumn.

“Her record at Caulfield is five starts for five placings and she has never missed a placing at 1400.

“Obviously Dissident is the one to beat, but if we could run a place at Group 1 level on the back of her Group 2 and Group 3 wins it would be fantastic.”

Suavito is a chance of staying in Melbourne for the Group 1 Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on March 14 or she could head to Sydney for races like the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 14, the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Royal Randwick on April 4 and the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) at the same venue a week later.

Dissident remains a clear favourite at 2015 Futurity Stakes odds of $1.75 with Ladbrokes, while Suavito has been backed from $16 into $12 to record an upset victory in the Group 1 event.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.