Claiming several commendable results this time in without being able to break through for a black type race win, trainer Simon Miller is confident talented mare Miss Rose De Lago will line up for Saturday’s Listed Starstruck Classic (1600m) in peak condition.
Taking out minor Belmont Park sprint over 1300m on October 11th, Miss Rose De Lago placed a close second to Fuchsia Bandana in the Group 3 Northerly Stakes (1400m) on October 18th and has since placed sixth in the Group 3 R.J. Peters Stakes (1500m), fourth in the Listed W.A. Stakes (1400m) and third in the Listed Jungle Dawn Classic (1400m) most recently on December 6th.
Impressed with the Encosta De Lago’s brave performance over 1400m last time out, Miller told Racing Ahead he is confident a step-up to 1600m will play into the strengths of Miss Rose De Lago in the Starstruck Classic, but conceded she will need to find an extra gear if to successfully account for a race-high 59kg handicap.
“She’ll run around,” Miller said.
“She’s been really good over the 1600m. When she was in the 1400m feature races over the last fortnight I was looking for the mile that day but obviously it wasn’t there.
“She was brave, but out the 1600m now will suit; she’s had two go’s at it for a win in the Champion Fillies and second in the Guineas so her record is good.
“She does have to contend with the 59(kgs), so hopefully because she’s a big, strong mare that will help but she does have to lump the topweight.
“This and then the 1800m (Group 3 La Trice Classic) on Perth Cup Day; that will be her done. Most of the feature races now have pretty much dropped away.”
Finishing outside the top three only a handful of times over his 15 start career so far, Miss Rose De Lago was a standout for Miller over the 2013/14 Perth Summer Carnival; taking out each of the Listed Burgess Queen Stakes (1400m) and Group 3 W.A. Champion Fillies Stakes (1600m) before finishing a close second in to subsequent Group 1 winner Ihtsahymn in the Group 2 W.A. Guineas (1600m) most notably.
