Smart Tasmanian filly Zany Girl faces her acid test when she tackles the $1.5 million Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
The Stuart Gandy-trained daughter of Needs Further was an eye-catcher hitting the line hard from the back in the Jim Moloney over 1400m third up before appearing to have every chance when having her first try over a mile in the Edward Manifold.
She’ll be stronger for her first try at the trip but at the time of writing is the outsider of the field at $34 behind boom Sydney filly and short-priced favourite Apocalyptic.
Reigning Tasmanian horse of the year Geegees Mistruth is also unfancied in the $300,000 Group 2 Herald Sun Sprint (1000m) at $26 but for mine she looks well over the odds.
The daughter of Wordsmith reportedly made an abnormal respiratory noise when resuming in the Cockram Stakes and has been freshened since.
She should get a gun run in transit from gate three and won at her only other 1000-metre outing.
Congrats, Kirra-Lee
At Launceston last Sunday mature age apprentice Kirra-Lee Lane notched her first success at just her fifth race ride, partnering the Peter Luttrell-prepared Zurich to take the maiden plate over 1400 metres.
The Kingman gelding sat outside leader and race favourite Henley Extreme before proving too tough for that galloper in the drive to the line.
Luttrell would also have been impressed with the effort of his Launceston Cup hero Distrustful Award, who ran a cracker when back in trip off a freshen in the Seymour Cup (1600m) later in the day.
The Shamus Award gelding blew the start by four lengths but saved ground on the home turn and rattled home late to finish sixth, just over two lengths behind winner Cote Atlantique.
He will now press on to the Geelong Cup and will relish the added distance of that assignment.
Erica Byrne Burke and Kelvin Sanderson shared the riding honours at Launceston with a double apiece.
Byrne Burke first teamed with her former master Adam Trinder to take the maiden plate over 1200 metres with Snow Maiden, who sat handy to the pace before notching a last-stride win.
Byrne Burke later produced the ride of the day, settling worse than midfield on the John Blacker-trained Sister Royal and not going around a rival before surging to a 1½-length win in the benchmark 60 handicap over 1600 metres.
The ex-Victorian mare is now unbeaten from three local outings with Byrne Burke aboard on each occasion.
Sanderson’s first success came via the Trent Wells-prepared Star Walkin’, who launched from midfield to arrive right on the line in the Class 1 handicap over 1200 metres.
The “Iceman” went on to complete his double aboard the Barry Campbell-trained Shy Guy, who enjoyed a nice trail just off the speed before outgunning race favourite Go Jeanie in the Class 6 handicap over 1400 metres.