Girl In Flight remains on track for the Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) after she maintained her unbeaten streak with a solid win in the Leigh Thomas Gift (1700m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Girl In Flight scored her maiden metropolitan victory with a win in the Leigh Thomas Gift at Caulfield on Saturday. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Girl In Flight started her racing career with back-to-back wins in the Dalton Engineers Plate (1309m) at Pakenham and the Bundaberg Rum Handicap (1400m) at Sale and went into Saturday’s race as the best-backed favourite on the entire card at Caulfield.
The Commands filly was taken to the tail of the field by jockey Ryan Maloney and tracked into the race comfortably before working home strongly to record a one length victory from Collins Street and Cottonwood Grove.
Trainer Robbie Griffiths revealed last week that the Australasian Oaks in Adelaide next April was on the agenda for Girl In Flight and the trainer said, after her impressive performance, that he believes the Group 1 event is the ideal race for his classy filly.
“For a tall filly she has got a great turn of speed and great balance which allows her to really run a good sectional so it all looks good for the future,” Griffiths said.
“I think she’s a black-type filly and we’ve always had Adelaide in our mind because it just suited her timing.
“She’s a late-foal that has kicked-off her racing behind the Spring Carnival which makes it very hard to be ready for the autumn.”
Maloney has piloted Girl In Flight to all three of her career wins to date and told Racing Ahead this morning that he is delighted to have formed a partnership with such a talented horse; with the in-form hoop confident that the lightly-raced filly will run out a strong 2000 metres during her autumn campaign.
“She switches off really nicely; she is still quiet green but she does everything that you ask her too,” Maloney said.
“I was happy with the pace and she has tracked up as soon as I asked her for an effort.”
“I am confident that she will get it (2000 metres).
“She has got a lovely temperament and her breeding suggests that she will get the trip no worries.
“From what she has shown to date I don’t think it would be a problem.”
Griffiths is chasing his first victory in the Australasian Oaks after finishing second in the 2007 edition of the race with Cancanelle.
