Trainer Leon Macdonald is confident that the step-up to 1600 metres will suit talented filly Go Indy Go in the 2014 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield on Saturday.
Go Indy Go has the chance to record a second win at Group 1 level in the 2014 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart
Go Indy Go started her 2014 Spring Racing Carnival preparation with an uncharacteristically poor effort in the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on September 13 before she returned to her best form with a fast-finishing third behind Afleet Esprit and Amicus in the Group 2 Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield on September 28.
The Bernardini filly appeared to lose contact with the rest of the field in the early stages of the Thousand Guineas Prelude before hitting the line well and Macdonald RSN this morning that the three-year-old will be much better suited by the 1600 metres in the Thousand Guineas – the same trip that she won the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) over in the autumn.
“I think that she got back a little bit further than we expected her to and she did lose tough down the side and that may have been the difference,” Macdonald said.
“At the top of the straight there was nothing to take her into the race, she had to do it all herself and probably only needed a few more strides.
“She seems good, she galloped yesterday morning, looked nice and bright and pulled up well from it.
“I think that the step-up to 1600 meters helps her as much as anything and she is out of a Zabeel mare and she is probably looking to stay now.
“We are hopeful.”
Macdonald has always been confident that Go Indy Go would be able to get over a staying trip as a three-year-old, but he is yet to decide whether she will press on to the Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m) at Flemington on November 6.
The leading Adelaide trainer said that he will be taking it one race at a time with the talented three-year-old, but confirmed that she would be given an opportunity over 2400 metres before the end of the racing season.
“I do believe that she will get to the Oaks distance,” Macdonald said.
“Whether she does it in the spring or next autumn is probably what we are going to decide.
“We will take it race by race during the spring and by next autumn the Sydney Oaks and the Australasian Oaks in Adelaide will be races that will suit her really well.”
Go Indy Go is currently available at Thousand Guineas odds of $4.40 and is a narrow favourite from Bring Me The Maid ($5), Afleet Esprit ($5) and Lumosty ($5) in the betting market with Ladbrokes Australia.
