Trainer Chris Waller will decide on Wednesday morning if his smart filly Omei Sword will take her place in the Group 2 $200,000 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Omei Sword, above, has been nominated for the Light Fingers Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Omei Sword was due to make her 2017 Sydney Autumn Carnival debut last Saturday at Randwick in the Group 3 $150,000 Australian Chinese Jockey Club Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) but Waller was forced to scratch the High Chaparral filly after she developed some muscle soreness.
The Waller stable reported on twitter today that Omei Sword would be given a testing gallop at Rosehill on Wednesday morning and then a decision will be made if she takes her place in the Light Fingers Stakes.
“No further decision has been made in relation to whether Omei Sword will race in the Light Fingers Stakes this Saturday at Randwick,” the tweet read.
“Chris (Waller) had planned to gallop her this morning but has decided to give her another twenty-four hours before galloping her and therefore she will gallop tomorrow morning. Chris will then make a decision after the gallop as to whether he will accept with her or not. At this stage she has not missed a day’s work but has been restricted to slow work since last Thursday.”
Omei Sword emerged as one of the top fillies during the 2016 Sydney Spring Carnival with a win in the Group 2 $175,000 Alpha Flight Services Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Randwick before running second to the John O’Shea trained Astern in the Group 1 $1m De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill.
Omei Sword hasn’t started since but has the benefit of two recent barrier trials for an eighth over 805m at Warwick Farm on January 10 followed by a sixth over 1000m at Randwick on January 27.
Waller has also nominated Foxplay for the Light Fingers Stakes and the Foxwedge filly is also resuming after not having raced since finishing fourth to Global Glamour in the Group 1 $500,000 Schweppes Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 8.
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Global Glamour has been freshened up since running second to $101 outsider Flying Jess in the $2m Gold Coast Magic Millions 3yo Guineas (1400m) at the Gold Coast on January 14 and has been nominated for both the Light Fingers Stakes and the Group 2 $250,000 Apollo Stakes (1400m) on the same program.
Omei Sword has been installed the early $2.90 favourite for the Light Fingers Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au just ahead of Global Glamour at $3.50 and the Garry Frazer trained Spright at $6.50.
Early market order for the Light Fingers Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $2.90 Omei Sword, $3.50 Global Glamour, $6.50 Spright, $7 Foxplay, $8 Honesty Prevails, $11 Gridelin, $13 Samantha, $21 Lubiton, $26 Zenalicious, $31 All Over Bosaanova, $51 French Fern, Moqueen, $61 Long Time Ago, $81 Fabvier, $101 Miss Beneteau, $151 Tutu.
