Outstanding filly Omei Sword has drawn barrier seven in the eight horse field for the Group 1 $500,000 Sydney Airport Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Omei Sword, above, will start the odds on favourite in the G1 Flight Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Omei Sword is one of three fillies that trainer Chris Waller will saddle up along with Sezanne who has drawn barrier six and Awoke who will jump from gate four.
Big race jockey Hugh Bowman is back aboard Omei Sword, replacing Joao Moreira who steered the High Chaparral filly into second place behind the John O’Shea trained Astern in the Group 1 $1m De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill on September 10.
Brenton Avdulla had the ride on the smart filly when she scored a first up win the Group 2 $175,000 Alpha Flight Services Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on August 20 while Bowman has been on her back on one occasion for a debut win back in February in an 1100m Rosehill two year old fillies maiden.
James McDonald takes the ride on Sezanne, replacing Craig Williams and Brenton Avdulla gets the ride again on Awoke.
Sunshine Coast trainer David Vandyke has elected to remove the blinkers from Yankee Rose who has drawn barrier five with Blake Shinn taking over from Zac Purton.
Vandyke put the blinkers on Yankee Rose for the Golden Rose but the filly raced keenly and found herself in the uncharacteristic position at the head the field and after leading into the straight fought on well to finish sixth.
Yankee Rose’s pattern of racing is to sit well back in the field before unleashing her powerful finish which she demonstrated when she won the Group 1 $1m Inglis Sires’ (1400m) at Randwick on April 2, day one of ‘The Championships’.
James Cummings will saddle up Skylight Glow in the Flight Stakes and the filly has drawn nicely at barrier three with Glyn Schofield retaining the run after the pair finished second to Foxplay in the Group 2 $175,000 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on September 17.
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Global Glamour has drawn the rails with Tim Clark to ride while Quick Feet from the Snowden stable has drawn the outside gate.
Bridle Lane from the John Thompson stable is taking a huge step up in class after finishing second in a Warwick Farm mid-week 1600m BenchMark 67 Handicap on September 14 and will jump from barrier two with Mark Zahra taking the ride.
Omei Sword has been installed the odds on favourite for the Flight Stakes at $1.65 with Ladbrokes.com.au with Yankee Rose the second pick at $3.60.
Market order for the Flight Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $1.65 Omei Sword, $3.60 Yankee Rose, $9 Global Glamour, $13 Skylight Glow, $15 Awoke, $21 Sezanne, $41 Quick Feet, $81 Bridle Lane.
