Top Sydney jockey Hugh Bowman is the new rider for Victorian filly Pasadena Girl in the Group 1 $400,000 Moet & Chandon Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Pasadena Girl will be ridden by Hugh Bowman in the Champagne Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Sarah Ebbett.
Bowman takes over from Melbourne hoop Vlad Duric who had been aboard Pasadena Girl in all her three race starts which includes two wins and a last start fourth to Pride Of Dubai in the Group 1 $1m Inglis Sires (1400m) at Randwick on the postponed first day of ‘The Championships’ on April 6.
Pasadena Girl was undefeated at her only other two starts and went into the Inglis Sires after winning the Listed $120,000 Talindert Stakes (1100m) at Flemington on February 21 and the Group 3 $150,000 TBV Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on March 14.
“She has done everything right since the Sires. We’ve got Hugh Bowman to ride her and she will take her place in the field,” Moody told The Daily Telegraph.
Pasadena Girl will be stepping up to the 1600m of the Champagne Stakes for the first time but by the way she came from last on the corner to be beaten only a length and a half by Pride Of Dubai over the 1400m in the Sires, the extra distance doesn’t look to be a problem.
“The 1600m will be ideal for her,’’ Moody said.
Only nine two years have been nominated for the Champagne Stakes on the last day of the Sydney Autumn Carnival and Sires runner up Odyssey Moon and will prove to be one of the main chances.
Odyssey Moon has had a tough Autumn Carnival campaign and will be facing the starter for the sixth time this preparation after being placed on three occasions from her five outings.
The Snitzel colt was well beaten when four lengths second to Exosphere in the Group 2 $175,000 Pro-Ride Skyline Stakes (1200m) at Warwick Farm on February 28 and then was only beaten one length when third to Tarquin in the Group 2 $175,000 Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on March 14.
Odyssey Moon was then sent out at very long odds before finishing just over two lengths behind Vancouver when eighth in the Group 1 $3.5m Tooheys New Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on March 21.
