Trainer Chris Waller has selected the Group 1 Flight Stakes as the main 2018 Spring Carnival target for his smart filly Fiesta who resumes in the Group 2 $200,000 Darley Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Fiesta, above in purple colours, is set to resume in the Silver Shadow Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
The Silver Shadow Stakes is the first leg of the four race Darley Princess Series for the three year old fillies at Randwick which will culminate with the running of the Group 1 $500,000 Darley Flight Stakes (1600m) on September 29.
In between the Silver Shadow Stakes and the Flight Stakes is the Group 2 $200,000 Darley Furious Stakes (1200m) and the Group 2 $200,000 Darley Tea Rose Stakes (1400m).
Fiesta has only missed a place once from six starts and that was a seventh to Estijaab in the Group 1 $3.5m Longines Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on March 24 while her only win during her two year old season was in the Group 3 $150,000 Widden Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on February 3.
The I Am Invincible filly was also placed twice at Group 2 level at Randwick during the 2018 Sydney Autumn Carnival for a second in the $200,000 Chandon S Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m) and a second in the Group 2 $600,000 Percy Sykes Stakes (1200m).
“She was a little bit flat after her two-year-old year but the last three months have been spot on,” Waller told Racing New South Wales News Desk.
Fiesta raced with the blinkers on during the Autumn Carnival but Waller has removed the head gear for her first run back for the Spring and hopes that will help her settle in her races as she gradually steps up in distance on her way to the 1600m of the Flight Stakes.
“I’ve left the blinkers off because we are looking at stretching her out to a mile so this is a good starting point on Saturday,” Waller said.
Fiesta has drawn the rails with Kerrin McEvoy to ride and is on the third line of betting for the Silver Shadow Stakes at $4.80 with Ladbrokes.com.au behind the Tony McEvoy trained Oohood at $2.10 and the Tony Gollan trained Queensland filly Outback Barbie at $4.40.
Oohood is yet to win from six race starts but has been Group 1 placed on three occasions during the Autumn with a third in the Group 1 $1.5m Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield, a second in the Golden Slipper and a second in the Group 1 $1m Inglis Sires’ (1400m) at Randwick.
