Lucky Raquie was restricted to just one race start during the spring due to a virus, but trainer Gerald Ryan is happy with the condition of the talented filly ahead of her likely return to racing in the 2015 Light Finger Stakes.

Trainer Gerald Ryan is happy with the progress of Peggy Jean ahead of the 2015 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival. Photo by: Steve Hart

Lucky Raquie won the Listed Black Opal Stakes (1200m) at Canberra during the 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, but she suffered from the virus that ravaged the Ryan stable at the start of the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival and she did not return to racing until she finished fourth in the CFMEU Mining/Energy Division (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on November 1.

Ryan told Racing Ahead that Lucky Raquie had bounced back from her spring setback in excellent condition and he confirmed that the Encosta De Lago filly was close to a return in the Group 2 Light Finger Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on February 14 or the Group 2 Angus Armanasco Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 28.

“She is going better than how she was in the spring,” Ryan said.

“She got that virus that quite a few of them got and she got it pretty bad and she went to the paddock.

“She came back and was only about 80 percent right and I only wanted to give her the one run so she wasn’t going 12 months between runs.

“She has come back really well and she will trial on Tuesday and kick-off in the Light Fingers or go to Melbourne and run in the Angus Armanasco on the same day.”

Another three-year-old filly from the Ryan stable that is working towards a return to racing is 2014 Sires Produce Stakes winner Peggy Jean.

Peggy Jean was a consistent performer as a two-year-old, highlighted by her fast-finishing win in the Group 1 Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 12, but she failed to fire first-up in the Group 2 Furious Stakes (1200m) and was sent to the spelling paddock after she finished at the tail of the field in the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m).

The talented filly was included in the 2015 Australian Guineas nominations that were released earlier in the week, but Ryan confirmed that the Myboycharlie filly would likely remain in Sydney for the fillies races that are spread throughout the Carnival.

“She is ticking over really good,” Ryan said.

“She looks well and she is a lot stronger.

“She has a great colour back and she is working good.

“There are a lot of nice fillies races around, but it is easy to put her in costing $550 this week then the week before the race trying to post $27,500 to go in as a late entry.

“We will just sit on it and see how she is going at the time and see what the race looks like, but there are plenty of fillies races both between Sydney and Melbourne that she can run in without taking on the colts.”

Ryan has not had a runner in the Australian Guineas since Vitrinite finished seventh behind Gold Guru in the 1998 edition of the race, while he finished second with Hurricane Sky in 1995.