Top filly Bliss Street will kick off her Sydney Autumn Carnival campaign when she clashes with Western Australia’s other top class filly Night War at Ascot on Saturday week.
Trainer Dan Morton is happy to take on Night War in the 1400m $100,000 Magic Millions 3yo Trophy before heading to Sydney with the Group 1 $500,000 Randwick Guineas (1600m) on March 17 one of her main targets.
Morton and managing owner Eddie Rigg decided to start Bliss Street over 1400m first up after three months away from the races to avoid a clash with the Queanbeyan flying filly Karuta Queen in the $125,000 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) a week later.
Trainer Neville Layt has picked the Light Fingers at Warwick Farm on February 18 as Karuta Queen’s second up run in Sydney.
Bliss Street is a multiple group winner, taking out the Group 3 WA Sires Produce (1400m) at Ascot last April and also beating smart fillies Hallowell Belle and Mosheen in the Schweppes Thousand Guineas Prelude (1600m) at Caulfeild at the start of last year’s Melbourne Spring Carnival.
“It’s not ideal (first-up in the MM Trophy) but with her rating she can only run at set-weights or weight-for-age,” Rigg said.
“We were going to go to Sydney first-up but she’s suited at the weights in the Magic Millions race.”
Bliss Street is stepping out over 1400m without a barrier trial and Rigg admits this is not ideal but she only has to carry 54kg in MM Trophy.
“We were going to go to Sydney first-up but she’s suited at the weights in the Magic Millions race.”
“She’ll go on to Sydney. Danny (Morton) was keen to go that way instead of Melbourne. Her best form is over 1400 so we’ll keep her around that and 1600,” Rigg said.
The clash between Bliss Street and Night War will be all quality as the Simon Miller trained filly is a winner of four of her eight starts, two of those victories being at Group level.
Night War has the advantage of a recent race start when third first up over 1200m at Ascot on January 28.
The General Nediym filly’s two group wins were in the 1200m Karrakaatta 2yo Plate and the 1400m Sir Ernest Lee-Steere Classic (1400m) for 3yos at Ascot.
The Sydney Autumn looks inviting for Bliss Street with the Group 2 $200,000 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) on March 3 at Rosehill or the Group 2 $175,000 Surround Stakes (1400m) at Warwick Farm a week later possible targets and then onto the Randwick Guineas on March 17.
The Flying Spur filly will be kept to distances up to 1600m.
The Group 1 fillies and mares $600,000 Coolmore Stud Classic (1500m) at Rosehill on March 24 and the $400,000 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on Golden Slipper day fall into that catergory.
This takes the Group 1 $550,000 ATC Oaks (2400m) at Randwick on April 21 off the agenda.
