One of the most competitive editions of the Light Fingers Stakes is set to be run at Royal Randwick on February 12, but trainer John Sargent believes his filly Four Moves Ahead will be right up to the mark.
Four Moves Ahead in the mix for Light Fingers Stakes
One of the most competitive editions of the Light Fingers Stakes is set to be run at Royal Randwick on February 12, but trainer John Sargent believes his filly Four Moves Ahead will be right up to the mark.
The three-year-old by Snitzel is yet to win a Group 1 race, despite starting at +400 in all three of her attempts at the level, but the dual Group 2 winner looks ready to fire this autumn.
After winning the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes in September, Four Moves Ahead pushed on to the Flight Stakes at Group 1 level, where she was beaten 4.5 lengths by Never Been Kissed over 1600m.
The $500,000 earner was given a good spell during November and December, and has since returned to the trials in preparation for the Sydney Autumn Carnival.
On Monday morning, Four Moves Ahead stepped out for her second trial, which saw her work through the line stylishly behind Embracer and Home Affairs under Nash Rawiller.
“Nash was very happy with her,” Sargent told Sky Racing.
“We put blinkers on today, just to see what she’d be like in those, and he (Rawiller) was very happy with those.
“So we’ll probably put those on in the Light Fingers.”
Having won three of her eight races, Sargent believes Four Moves Ahead will have to go to another level if she is to win the Light Fingers in 12 days, given the likely strength of the field.
“She seems a lot stronger this time in,” he said.
“She’ll have to be, because it’s going to be a very strong bunch of three-year-old fillies in Sydney this season.
“I think if we add those blinkers, it might just give her more of an edge.
“We’ll need it though. It’s going to be a very good Light Fingers in a couple of weeks.”
Also set to line up in the Light Fingers is Queensland filly Startantes.
The three-year-old returned with a narrow second at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday, and trainer Rob Heathcote confirmed that his Group 1-placed runner will push on to Sydney for the autumn.
Jason Collett has been booked to ride the filly in the Group 2 event.
No markets have been released for the February 12 race yet, but it is expected that unbeaten filly Espiona will start favourite ahead of the likes of Fangirl, Jamaea and Four Moves Ahead.