Last Saturday’s Expressway Stakes winner Alizee will have her next 2019 Autumn Carnival run in the Group 1 $500,000 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 23.
Alizee, above, will have her next run in the 2019 Futurity Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Steve Hart.
Trainer James Cummings described Alizee’s last to first win in the Group 2 $200,000 Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill as her best short course performance as she left Group 1 winners Le Romain and Trapeze Artist in her wake.
“I think it was easily her best performance at six furlongs ever and she’s just proven to have come back so well,” Cummings told RSN’s Correct Weight on Sunday.
“Horses like Trapeze Artist and Le Romain, I know how hard these horses have been to beat in the past 12 months and she’s done that effortlessly.
“It’s so good to see a mare of her quality come back like she has.”
“She has had a faultless campaign and she is a serious mare. The Futurity Stakes in Melbourne looks like a great race for her.
“We have great expectations for her.”
Come back jockey Blake Shinn settled Alizee at the tail of the five horse Expressway Stakes field and once he eased her to the outside in the straight, the Sepoy mare put paid to her opposition to recall a two lengths victory over Le Romain with Dothraki battling on for third just ahead of Trapeze Artist.
Alizee 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 and is now the $3.20 favourite at Ladbrokes.com.au to claim a third Group 1 trophy in the Futurity Stakes.
Cummings is hoping for another first class performance at Caulfield in three weeks time to promote Alizee into the field for the $5m All-Star Mile (1600m) at Flemington on March 16.
Early betting for the Futurity Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3.20 Alizee, $6 Kementari, $9 Brave Smash, Home Of The Brave, Land Of Plenty, $10 Hartnell, Osborne Bulls, Vega Magic, $11 Sunlight, $12 Grunt, Peaceful State, $13 Extra Brut, $14 Best Of Days, $16 Dollar For Dollar, I Am A Star, Le Romain, $17 Ringerdinding, $18 Siege Of Quebec, Voodoo Lad, $21 Cliff’s Edge, Hey Doc, Humidor, Mr Sneaky, $26 or better for the rest.
