Trainer Chris Waller is thinking of keeping Omei Sword against the fillies in the Group 2 $175,000 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on September 17 and miss taking on a quality field of three year olds in Saturday’s Golden Rose at Rosehill.
Omei Sword, above, could bypass the Golden Rose for the Tea Rose Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Omei Sword is currently on the third line of betting at $5 at Ladbrokes.com.au for the Group 1 $1m De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose (1400m) but Waller is yet to confirm a start and is leaning towards the Tea Rose Stakes to lead her into the Group 1 $500,000 Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on October 1.
“The Flight Stakes has always been the aim for Omei Sword and I think it’s the perfect race for her,” Waller told AAP.
“We’ll see where she fits in the Golden Rose but if I have a slight leaning it’s towards waiting another week for the Tea Rose Stakes and then into the Flight.”
Omei Sword has only been to the races on four occasions and recorded her second win with a very impressive three and a quarter lengths victory in the Group 2 $175,000 Alpha Flight Services Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on August 20.
“She’s racing attractively now and knows what it’s all about,” Waller said.
“To see her travel up the he rise and finish off as she did, it’s the sign of a good filly.
“We’ve got high hopes.”
If Waller goes to the Tea Rose Stakes with Omei Sword, she will clash with stalemate and last Saturday’s impressive winner Foxplay who could also head to the Flight Stakes.
Foxplay resumed form a shot break and handled the heavy Randwick track to come from midfield to score a one and three quarter lengths win in the Group 2 $175,000 Fitzy & Wippa’s Fast & Furious Stakes (1200m).
A Melbourne Spring Carnival campaign is also a possibility for Omei Sword who currently heads the market order at $3 for the Group 1 $500,000 Schweppes Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 8.
Early Golden Rose market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3.20 Astern, $4 Divine Prophet, $5 Omei Sword, $9 Yankee Rose, $10 Impending, $11 Derryn, $15 El Divino, $17 Thronum, $19 Mediterranean, $26 Good Standing $31 Nikitas.
