Two fillies are battling for favouritism in betting for Saturday’s Group 1 $750,000 Darley Flight Stakes (1600m) with Fireburn narrow top elect over one-time favourite Zougotcha.
Chris Waller’s Silver Shadow – Tea Rose Stakes double winner heads the Group 1 Flight Stakes field in Sydney this weekend. Photo: Steve Hart.
A line-up of 10 three-year-old fillies take to the Randwick mile in this year’s Flight Stakes field, and the early money at Ladbrokes.com.au is on the Gary Portelli-trained Fireburn to post her third Group 1 victory.
The now three-year-old daughter of Rebel Dane was outstanding as a two-year-old in the autumn posting five straight wins including the Group 1 $5 million Golden Slipper (1200m) and Group 1 $1 million Inglis Sires’ (1400m) in the wet over the boys.
Saturday sees her step-up to 1600m for a second time following her close second as the beaten odds-on favourite in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) last time in.
This prep she comes via back-to-back Rosehill fifth placings including her eye-catching finish behind Jacquinot in last Saturday’s Group 1 $1 million Golden Rose Stakes (1400m).
She was under two lengths beaten working home well from a wide barrier (15 of 16) in the Golden Rose and presents fit on the quick back-up from gate nine this weekend.
The record of Golden Slipper winners returning to become Group 1 winning three-year-olds is poor.
The only to do so since Pierro (2012) was the Portelli-trained She Will Reign who returned to win the Group 1 Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley in 2017.
Portelli is looking to repeat the feat with Fireburn in the Flight Stakes and his confidence has been boosted by the Sydney rainfall.
“The weather forecast shows there is a bit of rain coming and that suits Fireburn,” Portelli told News Corp earlier in the week.
Zougotcha now occupies the second line of Flight Stakes betting at $3.30 to extend her winning streak to three on the trot this campaign.
The Chris Waller-trained daughter of Zoustar has the in-form James McDonald in the saddle from a favourable barrier two draw on Saturday.
She comes off back-to-back Group 2 victories in the Silver Shadow and Tea Rose Stakes.
The Flight Stakes will be her first run at 1600m and she is out to become the first to complete the Tea Rose – Flight Stakes double since the fellow Waller-trained, McDonald-ridden Funstar (2019).
The Anthony Cummings-trained She’s Extreme is the other major player in the markets at $6.50 to salute from gate five with Tommy Berry aboard.
She beat home Fireburn at the track and distance in the autumn’s Champagne Stakes and is also on the quick back-up off her good sixth in the Golden Rose last weekend.
Rounding out the hopes under $10 for the win is the Kris Lees-trained New Zealand expat Wolverine ($8.50) drawn the rails and looking to improve on her Tea Rose Stakes third last time out.
Wolverine is a daughter of Tivaci, who sired last year’s Flight Stakes champ Never Been Kissed, and is out to hand her Newcastle trainer with a second success after his big win in 2008 with Samantha Miss.
The Flight Stakes is scheduled as Race 6 at 2:45pm (AEST) on Saturday’s 10-race Randwick card for Epsom Handicap Day.
