Tough mare Sweet Idea is ready to claim her first Group 1 victory when she lines up in the Group 1 $500,000 Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Sweet Idea is ready to claim her first G1 win in the Myer Classic at Flemington. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia
The weight for age Myer Classic for the mares has attracted twenty-five nominations and the final field is going to be similar to the one that Sweet Idea beat in the Group 2 $200,000 Schweppes Tristarc Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on October 18.
The run on in the Tristarc Stakes featured Girl Guide, Catkins, May’s Dream, Politeness, Girl In Flight, Diamond Drille, Chiquada and Enquare, all entered for Saturday’s race.
Sweet Idea has raced in Group 1 company on five occasions, recording three placings, a third behind stablemate Overreach in the 2013 $3.5m Tooheys New Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill, a second in the $600,000 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill during the Sydney Autumn Carnival earlier in the year and a second three starts back in the WFA 1 $400,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 30.
According to stable jockey Tommy Berry, the Gai Waterhouse trained mare deserved to have a Group 1 victory beside her name after winning at Group 2 level on four occasions, including her last start win in the Tristarc Stakes.
“She has been Group 1 placed and we have been trying to crack that Group 1 winner, but we haven’t been able to, but back in the mares grade she was just too good,” Berry said after the Tristarc Stakes win.
Melbourne Cup fancy Lucia Valentina was a surprise entrant for the Myer Classic with trainer Kris Lees taking a precaution against the unsettled Melbourne weather.
Storms swept across Melbourne early on Monday morning and Lees thought if Lucia Valentina missed any vital work because of the wet tracks, he would send her around in the 1600m Group 1 for the mares prior to running in the Group 1 $6m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington next Tuesday.
“She didn’t miss any work on Monday and the plan is to give her a serious gallop on Tuesday morning,” Lees told Racing Network.
“But I just thought I’d nominate for the Myer Classic in case there are more storms and we miss any vital gallops.
“I’m not planning to run in the Myer. The Melbourne Cup is the race we’re targeting. It’s just a precaution.”
The John Sergent trained Neena Rock is the new girl on scene and comes to Melbourne after winning the Group 3 $125,000 McGrath Estate Agents Angst Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on October 11.
Early betting for the Myer Classic with Ladbrokes.com.au sees Sweet Idea and May’s Dream sharing favouritism at $5 ahead of the Chris Waller trained Catkins and Politeness from the Robert Smerdon stable at $7.50.
The consistent Suavito has put herself into contention with a win in the Group 3 $150,000 Eliza Park International Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley last Saturday and is marked as a $10 chance alongside of the Lindsay Park trained Girl Guide.
Neena Rock and Solicit share the next line of betting at $11.
