The inside barrier will give Alizee every chance to reverse the result with Formality who she meets again in the Group 2 $200,000 Furious Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Formality on the rails in Navy blue and Alizee in the Royal Blue on the outside, above, will clash again in the Furious Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
The Lindsay Park trained Formality jumped from the inside gate in the Group 2 $200,000 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on August 19 and found the lead while Alizee left from the outside barrier in the five horse field and raced behind the leader without any cover.
The barriers are reversed this week in the Furious Stakes and trainer James Cummings can see Alizee getting a nice trail behind the leaders.
“She was outside the leader in that race and got a bit keen, but I was delighted with her run,” Cummings said.
“I think she’ll be better suited in a slightly bigger field with a better tempo here and with the opportunity to get some cover will help.”
Cummings is delighted how Alizee has come through that tough run in the Silver Shadow Stakes and is expecting another top performance from the Sepoy filly.
“Alizee has come on since her close second at Randwick behind Formality who she meets again,” Cummings said.
“But she still needs to lift now that she’s getting into set weights company against some very nice fillies like Formality and Champagne Cuddles.”
The Bjorn Baker trained Champagne Cuddles wasn’t disgraced when she suffered her first defeat from three starts when a fast finishing third behind Formality and Alizee in the Silver Shadow Stakes and will be lining up again in the Furious Stakes.
Hugh Bowman takes over from Glyn Schofield on Alizee while Kerrin McEvoy has retained the ride on Formality.
Tye Angland gets the mount again on Champagne Cuddles who will jump from the outside gate in the Furious Stakes field that has been reduced to seven runners with the early scratching of the Ron Quinton trained Devolving who will take her place in the $100,000 ANZ Bloodstock News BenchMark 75 Handicap (1300m) earlier in the day.
Either one of the three fillies could start the favourite for the Furious Stakes at jump time with Champagne Cuddles holding a slight advantage on Thursday afternoon at $3 at Ladbrokes.com.au just ahead of Alizee at $3.10 and Formality at $3.70.
