Cranbourne trainer Robbie Griffiths is confident that Angelic Light will maintain her good Melbourne Spring Carnival form when she lines up in the Group 1 $750,000 Crown Perth-Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) at Ascot in Perth on Saturday.
Angelic Light has settled in well in Perth in preparation for the Winterbottom Stakes at Ascot. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Angelic Light flew to Perth on Friday and the reports that Griffiths has received from the West indicate that the mare has settled in well at trainer Simon Miller’s stable.
“She only lost five kilos on the flight over and Simon Miller is looking after her and he’s delighted with her,” Griffiths told Racing.com.
“If she continues to give us the positive vibes that we’re getting then there’s no reason she won’t hold her form.
“She had a nice hit-out on Thursday morning before she flew over on Friday and was pleasing in that gallop and I think it’s just a matter of keeping her ticking over.”
“She’s got the right form. The form around her has held up through all the top level sprints in Australia and if she can hold that form then she warrants her position in the market as favourite.”
The lightly race Angelic Light has been installed the early $3.70 favourite for the Winterbottom Stakes with Ladbrokes.com.au on the back of some excellent Spring form and the fact that Damien Oliver will continue his association with the Holy Roman Emperor mare also guarantees solid support from his home town followers.
“She was probably always going to start under the odds because Damien is riding her and every time he goes back to Perth he has a big following,” Griffiths said.
Oliver was aboard Angelic Light when a head second to Lankan Rupee at her latest outing in the Group 1 $1m Sportingbet Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on October 24.
But three runs back with Ryan Maloney in the saddle Angelic Light downed Lankan Rupee in a boiler when she beat the sprinting champion by a head in the Group 2 $200,000 Mitty’s McEwen Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley on September 6.
And sandwiched in between was a fourth behind Buffering, Lankan Rupee and Rebel Dane in the Group 1 $450,000 City Jeep Moir Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on September 26.
While Griffiths is happy with the way that Angelic Light has travelled to Perth and is confident that she has a great chance to record her first Group 1victroy, he is also weary of the local sprinters.
“But the travel and uncertainty of that is always the question for anyone whether someone is coming here for our Cup or I’m going there for their sprint,” Griffiths said.
“That’s why I don’t think you should ever be cocky and underestimate the locals and they are good at their craft and they are in their home town and we have to travel.”
Oliver will travel to Perth early in the week and partner Angelic Light in a track gallop at Ascot on Tuesday morning.
