Champion filly Guelph is set to return to the races in the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on February 22.
Hugh Bowman will partner Guelph when she begins her autumn campaign in the Light Fingers Stakes. Photo by: Steve Hart
Guelph has not made a public appearance since she finished her 2013 Spring Racing Carnival campaign with a comfortable win in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 16, but trainer Peter Snowden told TVN this morning that the daughter of Exceed And Excel will take part in a barrier trial at Rosehill Gardens tomorrow morning ahead of her return to racing.
Hugh Bowman will ride Guelph in the Light Fingers Stakes, with regular jockey Kerrin McEvoy set to partner Earthquake in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) on the same day, but the leading jockey will take back the ride on the four-time Group 1 winner when she contests the Group 2 Surround Stakes (1400m).
The Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 22 looms as a potential option for Guelph, but Snowden revealed that he is worried about the weight the three-year-old may be asked to carry in the handicap event.
“It just depends what weight she gets in the Coolmore and the weight of the other horses,” Snowden told TVN.
“Having the Phar Lap Stakes on the same day gives us an option to go there if we want.”
The talented filly will get the opportunity to add to her Group 1 tally when she contests the Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens on April 5 and remains a chance to make her debut at weight-for-age level in the $4 million Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick on April 19.
Guelph backed-up her outstanding juvenile campaign, which included wins in the Group 1 Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) and Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m), with a string of impressive performances during the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival.
She resumed with a narrow defeat to Bound For Earth in the Group 2 Furious Stakes (1200m), but bounced back to win the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) before taking out the Group 1 double of the Flight Stakes (1600m) and the Thousand Guineas.
Snowden is chasing his third win in the Light Finger Stakes after taking out the 2008 edition of the race with Forensics and winning the event in 2011 with Obsequious.
