Golden Slipper placegetter Lake Geneva will kick off her Spring Carnival campaign as the odds on favourite in a low-key maiden at Hawkesbury today.
Lake Geneva, navy blue, was third to Ottoman, white cap, and Calaverite, all blue, in the Percy Sykes Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Team Hawkes have elected to give Lake Geneva an easy entry into the Spring and an expected win in the $22,000 Sigma 3yo Maiden Plate (1000m) will trim her up nicely for the Group 2 $175,000 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on August 22.
Lake Geneva has had one barrier trial this preparation for her return to racing for a second over 740m at Warwick Farm on July 24 and the Hawkes Team of Michael, Wayne and John are very happy with the way she is progressing.
“She trialled good and everything is right with her,” Michael Hawkes told AAP.
“All being well she will run in two weeks in the Group Two fillies race.”
Lake Geneva hasn’t made it to the winner’s stall from four race starts but Fastnet Rock filly has competed at the highest level recording four placings from four race starts and should have no trouble winning at Hawkesbury in a canter.
The smart filly was beaten narrowly on debut when second to Fireworks in the Group 3 $150,000 Widden Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on January 31 and then ran a mighty race, coming from well back in the field, to run third to Pride Of Dubai in the Group 1 $1m Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 28.
The Hawkes Team then headed back to Sydney where Lake Geneva finished third again behind the Gai Waterhouse stablemates Vancouver and English in the Group 1 $3.5m Tooheys New Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on March 21.
She was given one more run during the Autumn Carnival but was beaten in a blanket finish when third behind Ottoman and Calaverite in the Group 3 $500,000 Girvan Waugh Percy Sykes Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 11, the second day of ‘The Championships’.
Tommy Berry was aboard the filly in the Percy Stakes and at the Warwick Farm trials and will ride the odds on favourite again at Hawkesbury today.
“I rode Lake Geneva in her trial at Warwick Farm two weeks ago and she went really well,’’ Berry said. “She hasn’t changed a lot physically, she is not any bigger but she is definitely stronger now,” Berry told the Daily Telegraph.
“The Hawkes team place their horses so well and they have found this race to get her confidence up by having the win that she probably should already have had by now.
“She was third in the Blue Diamond and Golden Slipper during the autumn so she is obviously very tough and very good. She was entered for Warwick Farm (on Wednesday) but they gave her 66.5kg, which I have never seen before.
“There is a good reason she did not run there but now Hawkesbury has a headline horse for their meeting.’’
Lake Geneva is at the unbackable odds of $1.05 with Ladbrokes.com.au and the only other runner under double figures is the Peter and Paul Snowden trained Typecast at $6.
