Smart filly Lake Geneva heads a small nominations’ list for the Group 2 $175,000 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Kimberley Star is one of two fillies trainer Gai Waterhouse has nominated for the Silver Shadow Stakes. Photo by Steve Hart.
The Australian Turf Club has been forced to extend nominations for the Silver Shadow Stakes until 11am on Tuesday, August 18, 2015, after only eight fillies had been entered for the Group 2 race at closing time today.
Lake Geneva was Group 1 placed on two occasions during the 2015 Autumn Carnivals with a third placing in both the $1m Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield in February and in the $3.5m Tooheys New Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill in March.
The Fastnet Rock filly came from near the tail of the field to be beaten less than two lengths when third to Pride Of Dubai in the Blue Diamond Stakes then ran another outstanding race when beaten one and a half lengths when third behind Vancouver in the Golden Slipper.
The Hawkes Racing Team then gave Lake Geneva one more run in the Autumn for a third to Ottoman in the Group 3 $500,000 Girvan Waugh Percy Sykes Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 11.
Lake Geneva was taken to Hawkesbury to kick off her Spring Carnival campaign and Team Hawkes believe that her win in a 1000m Maiden on August 6 will give the classy filly plenty of confidence as he tackles tougher company in the coming months.
“She could have led them up, she could have been behind, he (Tommy Berry) only got out the last 150m, put one round her behind and it was all over,” co-trainer Michael Hawkes said to Sky Racing.
“It was a nice run, it was a starting point… it’s not where you start, it’s where you finish.”
Another winning performance by Lake Geneva in the Silver Shadow Stakes could see her line up in the Group 1 $1m De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on September 12.
Gai Waterhouse will have a strong hand in the Silver Shadow Stakes with smart fillies Kimberley Star and Speak Fondly among the nominations.
Kimberley Star is fast claiming the prize as the most imprpofved galloper in Sydney with wins from her last three starts and Waterhouse is prepard to step her up to Group 2 company against the fillies after her effortless three lengths win in an open 1400m three year old Plate at Rosehill on August 1.
Northern Meteor filly Speak Fondly performer well during the 2015 Sydney Autumn Carnival with a win in the Group 2 $175,000 Magic Night Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on March 14 followed by an eleventh to stablemate Vancouver in the Golden Slipper Stakes at Rosehill a week later.
Waterhouse has given Speak Fondly two Randwick barrier trials in preparation for her Spring Carnival debut and she was able to win over 735m on July 20 before running second to Group 1 winner Temple Of Boom in a 840m trial on July 31.
Rosehill trainer Gerald Ryan has also picked out the Silver Shadow Stakes for Fireworks’ to kick off her Spring Carnival campaign.
Fireworks showed plenty of ability in the early part of the Autumn Carnival with a win in the Group 3 $150,000 Widden Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on January 31 and was then placed third to English in the Group 2 $300,000 Guinness Reisling Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on March 7.
The Waterhouse trained English went on to run second in the Golden Slipper Stakes while Fireworks was sent for spell after finishing thirteenth in the richest two year race in the world.
Peter and Paul Snowden have nominated two fillies for the Silver Shadow Stakes, last start Warwick Farm maiden winner Kangarilla Joy and Secret Trail who hasn’t raced since winning a 1200m Two Year Old Plate at the Gold Coast on March 14.
John O’Shea has entered the well breed Italy while Bart and James Cummings will be represented by Strategic Maneuver filly Tempt Me Not.
