Premiership winning trainer Peter Moody is giving his filly Sweet And Speedy a great chance of upsetting ‘the boys’ in the Group 1 $500,000 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Peter Moody’s filly Sweet And Speedy will take on the boys in the Australian Guineas at Flemington. Photo by Sarah Ebbett.
Sweet And Speedy was a surprise $17 winner against the fillies in the Group 3 $150,000 The Vanity (1400m) at Flemington on February 21 and Moody says another upset win is on the cards.
“Her two runs back have been excellent,’’ Moody told the Herald Sun.
“She is up against the boys but the mile (1600m) looks ideal and I don’t think the boys are any stronger.”
“The Sydney three-year-olds are the query but it seems they are all staying home so she comes into the race with a great chance.”
Sweet And Speedy came from near the tail of the field to beat Crown Oaks winner Set Square and the smart Lindsay Park filly Wawail in The Vanity taking her winning tally to three wins from five starts.
The Street Cry filly was also impressive at her previous start when a first up winner over Mossbest and Peppermint Lane in a 1400m BenchMark 70 at Sandown on January 26.
Luke Nolen is back on board Sweet And Speedy taking over from Singapore based Craig Newitt who was only back in Melbourne for the day mainly due to his commitment to ride super star sprinter Lankan Rupee who took out the Group 1 $500,000 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m).
Sweet And Speedy has drawn wide at barrier fourteen and Nolen will likely settle her back in the field again as is her usual racing pattern.
The Robert Smerdon trained Fontein Ruby will also be representing the fillies in the Australian Guineas and is certain to take advantage of her good barrier draw.
Chad Schofield will be taking over from the suspended Mark Zahra and should have no trouble putting the Turffontein filly in her favourite position at the front of the field.
Fontein Ruby has been placed at her two runs back this campaign with a third to Sabatini in the Group 3 $150,000 Kevin Hayes Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 14 followed by a second to the same filly in the Group 2 $200,000 Polytrack Angus Armanasco Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield last Saturday.
The Chris Waller trained Kermadec heads the market order for the Australian Guineas with Ladbrokes.com.au at $3.70 ahead of last Saturday’s Autumn Classic winner Alpine Eagle at $6 and Gai Waterhouse’s Wandjina at $9.
Fontein Ruby is marked as an $18 chance while Sweet And Speedy is at the healthy odds of $26.
