Peggy Jean has been included in the 2014 Champagne Stakes field and trainer Gerald Ryan rates the classy filly an excellent chance to complete the Sires Produce Stakes/Champagne Stakes double at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Peggy Jean scored her maiden win at Group 1 level in the 2014 Sires Produce Stakes. Photo by: Steve Hart
Peggy Jean stamped herself as a filly to watch with an upset win over Boomwaa in the Inglis Classic at Royal Randwick on January 18 and has performed strongly in two race starts since being given a freshen up; finishing second behind Bring Me The Maid in the Group 2 Magic Night Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 29 before winning the Group 1 Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 12.
The Myboycharlie filly will jump from barrier ten with Nash Rawiller on board and connections are hoping that she can replicate the feats of Helmet (2011), Pierro (2012) and Guelph (2013) and win both the Sires Produce Stakes and Champagne Stakes.
Peggy Jean will be joined in the 2014 Champagne Stakes field by stablemates Bachman and Lucky Raquie.
Bachman is taking winning form into the Champagne Stakes, following his impressive win in the Group 3 The Schweppervescence (1600m) at Rosehill Gardens on April 5, while Ryan is hoping that Lucky Raquie can return to her best form after failing to fire in the Sires Produce Stakes.
Veuvelicious stamped herself as a leading contender for the Champagne Stakes with a dominant win in the Listed Fernhill Handicap (1600m) and will make her Group 1 debut on Saturday.
Trainer Brent Stanley revealed yesterday that Veuvelicious has been set for the Champagne Stakes since the start of her 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival campaign and the daughter of Northern Meteor will jump from barrier five with Damien Oliver on her back.
Another filly taking winning form into the Champagne Stakes is Adelaide-based Go Indy Go, who is yet to produce a poor performance in three race starts.
Go Indy Go made her racing debut with a second place finish in the Listed Cinderella Stakes (1050m) at Morphettville on March 10 and finished second behind the talented London Lolly in the Group 3 Breeders Stakes (1200m) on March 29 before scoring her maiden race win in the Group 3 South Australian Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at the same venue on April 12.
The other last start winner in the 2014 Champagne Stakes field is Allan Denham-trained Proxy, who will be stepping up in class significantly after recording his maiden race win in a $40,000 event on the Kensington track on April 16.
The Champagne Stakes field is rounded out by Sires Produce Stakes runner-up Scratch Me Lucky (barrier four), David Hayes-trained Zululand (barrier seven), Darley colt Kumaon (barrier one) and Scone-based Unknown Destiny (barrier two).
