Goldfields: Light spring likely for speedy Miss
By Ben Sporle, July 18, 2018 - 6:46 AM

Shaun Dwyer’s star filly Miss Leonidas will return to the stables next week to begin what is likely to be a light spring campaign.
Miss Leonidas was a runaway six-length winner at The Valley on June 16, and Dwyer is aiming her towards the $750,000 Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m) on February 16 — a race he won with Regimental Gal in 2004.
The filly is currently on the water-walker and enjoying the end of her month’s freshen-up.
“I’ll give her two or three jumpouts so she’s cherry ripe and ready to go,” Dwyer said.
“There’s a 1000 metre race at Caulfield and then a fillies-and-mares race (at Flemington) during cup week and that might be all she does.”
Miss Leonidas rose to prominence in May with an eye-catching win over fellow three-year-olds on a heavy track at Ballarat, then ran a close third to Double Jeopardy at Flemington, where she raced on the wrong side of the track.
A last-minute decision to back her up at The Valley a week later paid dividends, her easy win impressing form analysts as well as Dwyer.
“I’m glad I wasn’t the only one blown away as sometimes trainers aren’t the best judges when it comes to their own horses,” he said.
“All the form experts I’ve heard are also very taken by her and the times she’s run so that gives me confidence going forward.”
The same colours — the pink and black of the Lichti family — will be on show this Saturday when Your Song colt Braddock lines up in the 1800-metre Byerley Handicap for two-year-olds.
“He really attacked the line well last time at Bendigo, picking up the bit late, so we think he’ll get the trip. We thought we’d roll the dice before tipping him out,” Dwyer said.
Stablemate Savaju, who disappointed first up, jumped out smartly at Bendigo on Tuesday and will line up at Caulfield on Saturday week.
Jump to it
All eyes turn to Bendigo on Sunday for the super jumps day, headlined by Sea King seeking his third win in the $100,000 Mosstrooper Steeplechase (3600m).
The Kiwi jumper has an outstanding record at the meeting, having won the Brendan Drechsler Hurdle for Patrick Payne on the same day last year.
Jumping great Karasi, whose first Australian win was at Bendigo, will lead out the Mosstrooper field, which also includes last year’s winner, Wells.
The $100,000 Drechsler Hurdle (3600m) is the day’s other feature, with restricted jumps races and highweight flat races for jumps jockeys rounding out the card.
Local gallopers to look out for are recent trial quinella Steel Caps (Rod Symons) and Mr Coyne (Bob Challis) as well as Sundevall (Graeme McQueen).
Punters on course can take part in the annual tipping competition with a $2200 Bendigo Cup day package up for grabs. St Kilda and Carlton football jumpers are among the prizes in a club raffle to raise funds for local trainer Graham Salisbury.
Gates will open from 11am with general admission $15.

 

Today's Racing
Friday 29 March
Saturday 30 March
Sunday 31 March
Social Networking