Trainer David Hayes is finding it hard to separate his two well-bred fillies La Cicciolina and For Lulu as they line up together for the first time in the $80,000 LeadWest Plate (1000m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Top trainer David Hayes, above, will saddle up La Cicciolina and For Lulu in the LeadWest Plate. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
A winning effort by Bernadini filly La Cicciolina will be enough to book a trip to the Gold Coast for the $2m Magic Millions 2yo Classic (1200m) on January 11 and a good showing from Fastnet Rock filly For Zulu will give Hayes confidence for the longer races later in the season.
“There’s not much between them,” Hayes told Racing Network.
“La Cicciolina is on trial for a Magic Millions start while I think For Lulu will stretch out over a mile in time.”
Peter Snowden is also expecting a forward showing from his first starter Faraja, but doesn’t rate the Medaglia D’Oro colt among his top echelon of his two year olds.
“I think he’ll get back and run on and tomorrow will tell us a bit more because I don’t rate him in the elite level but I think he’ll be competitive,” Snowden told RSN.
“He’s a nice, neat horse as most of the Medaglia d’Oro horses are and they’re great to work with.
“He’s fairly forward, he’s had a jump out where he was working home and there’s no doubt he’ll take further improvement from this run.”
Snowden has already produced several smart youngsters with Earthquake, Memorial and Occitan all winning early two year old races in Sydney.
Memorial, a filly by Street Cry, has created a huge impression with two wins at Rosehill while Exceed And Excel filly Earthquake was an easy winner on debut at Randwick.
And Occitan, also by Street Cry, scored first up over 1000m on the Kensington track on November 23.
Flemington trainer Mark Kavanagh will also producing a Street Cry filly, Chivalry, with bookmakers marking her the early $2.10 favourite for the LeadWest Plate.
For Lulu is the second pick at $5.50 with I Am The General and Faraja sharing the next line of betting at $6 just in front of La Cicciolina at $8.
