Sweet Idea has proven herself one of the best fillies of her generation since she made her racing debut in 2012 and jockey Tommy Berry is hoping that the talented filly can record her maiden win at Group 1 level during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival.
Sweet Idea was narrowly denied a maiden Group 1 victory by Steps In Time in the 2014 Coolmore Classic. Photo by: Steve Hart
Sweet Idea has been placed at Group 1 level on two occasions, finishing third in the 2013 Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) and second in the 2014 Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) and a win at the highest level is the only thing missing from her impressive racing resume.
Berry steered Sweet Idea to victory in a barrier trial over 1050 metres at Royal Randwick on July 18 and the leading hoop was happy with the performance of the Snitzel filly and believes she is capable of recording a Group 1 win during her 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign that is set to begin in the Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on August 9.
“She is a nice mare and she keeps proving herself every preparation to be up to the top level,” Berry said.
“She trialed without the blinkers on, on that occasion and she will definitely improve when they go on.
“I think she heads towards the Missile in a couple of weeks’ time from this Saturday and she is going to be very hard to beat in whatever she goes on.
“That Group 1 still eludes her, but she is Group 1 placed and hopefully she can pick that up this preparation.”
Sweet Idea made her racing debut with a win in the Sprint Plate (1000m) at Royal Randwick at the end of 2012 and was set for the Magic Millions Classic after she finished second behind Criterion in the Lidoran Group Plate (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens.
The talented filly finished second in the Group 3 B.J. McLachlan Stakes (1200m) at Doomben and second in the Magic Millions Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast, but returned to winning form in the Group 2 Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 2 before finishing third in the Golden Slipper.
Sweet Idea had her 2013 Spring Racing Carnival campaign prematurely ended when she bled when second in the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Warwick Farm on August 24, but she lost none of her talent in her stint away from racing and returned in the summer to take out the Wyong Magic Millions Stakes (1200m) and the Magic Millions Guineas (1400m).
The daughter of Snitzel started her 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival campaign with a win in the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on February 22 and struggled in the Group 2 Surround Stakes (1400m) at Warwick Farm on March 8 before finishing second behind Steps In Time (1500m) in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m).
Trainer Gai Waterhouse is yet to reveal the exact path that Sweet Idea will follow during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival, but she is expected to be set for the Group 1 Myer Classic (1400m) at Flemington on November 1.
