Griffiths Hoping For Inside Winterbottom Stakes Barrier

The 2014 Winterbottom Stakes barrier draw will be conducted in Perth this afternoon and Robbie Griffiths is hoping that star sprinter Angelic Light can draw an inside gate for the Group 1 event at Ascot on Saturday.

Trainer Robbie Griffiths believes that Angelic Light is in excellent condition heading into the 2014 Winterbottom Stakes at Ascot this weekend. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Trainer Robbie Griffiths believes that Angelic Light is in excellent condition heading into the 2014 Winterbottom Stakes at Ascot this weekend. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Angelic Light is a clear favourite in Winterbottom Stakes betting markets following her impressive string of performances during the 2014 Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival and Griffiths told Sky Racing HQ that an inside barrier draw will give the Holy Roman Emperor mare an excellent chance of record a maiden win at the highest level of racing.

“She is a mare that can use good barriers and in an ideal world every time she runs irrespective of where the races are it is nice to draw in because she can capitalize on a good barrier,” Griffiths said.

“We would prefer to be closer to the inside draws and hopefully we can have a bit of luck in that area.”

Angelic Light missed over a year of racing due to injury, but she is yet to produce a poor performance since she returned to racing with a fast-finishing third in the Listed Carlyon Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley on August 23.

The five-year-old stamped herself as a sprinter to watch when she upset Lankan Rupee to win the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley on September 4 and she was far from disgraced when fourth in the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1200m) at the same venue on September 26 before she was narrowly denied a maiden Group 1 win by Lankan Rupee in the Manikato Stakes (1200m) on October 24.

Griffiths has been thrilled with the form of Angelic Light throughout her spring campaign and he is confident that the talented mare can maintain that form heading into the Winterbottom Stakes this weekend.

“She was incredible,” Griffiths said.

“She was so good, she probably should have won and I think that was the general consensus between those that visualized the race.

“It was one of those races where there was only a blanket between six of them and there was probably a few hard luck stories in the event, but she was certainly one of those.

“That (the McEwen Stakes) was the catalyst for suggesting that she should hold her on in any of the sprint events this spring and that has been the case.

“She has held her form all the way through, so hopefully she can hold the form that we have seen in Melbourne over in Perth.”

Angelic Light is currently available at 2014 Winterbottom Stakes odds of $3 and is a clear favourite from Moment Of Change ($4.60), Sidestep ($7) and Magnifisio ($7).

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.