The ever confident Gai Waterhouse is beating up the chances of her filly Speak Fondly in the Group 1 $500,000 Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Trainer Gai Waterhouse said that Speak Fondly is the one to beat in the Flight Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Speak Fondly is coming back to fillies company on Super Saturday after running a brave second to Exosphere after setting the pace in the Group 1 $1m De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on September 12.
Waterhouse has a very high opinion of the Northern Meteor filly and has indicated that she has improved since her Golden Rose Stakes outing and says she is the filly to beat this weekend.
“I can’t see anything beating Speak Fondly,’’ Waterhouse The Daily Telegraph.
“If anything I think she has improved since the Golden Rose — she is an outstanding filly.’’
Speak Fondly has won three of her seven starts, two of which were at the beginning of this campaign prior to running in the Golden Rose Stakes.
She scored an all the way first up win when she beat her stablemate Kimberley Star in the Group 2 $175,000 Coolmore Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on August 22 and followed that up with a two and three quarter lengths win over Perignon in the Group 2 $175,000 Coolmore Furious Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on September 5.
Hong Kong based Brett Prebble rode Speak Fondly in the Golden Rose Stakes but Kerrin McEvoy had partnered the filly to her two previous wins but is out of action this weekend because of suspension and Tommy Berry takes over.
Berry and Speak Fondly have combined for a win in the past when they beat Perignon in the Group 2 $175,000 Magic Night Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill during the Sydney Autumn Carnival.
As well as Speak Fondly, Waterhouse will boost her chances of winning her eighth Flight Stakes with Kimberley Star (Joao Moreira), Sempre Libera (Blake Shinn) and Flamboyant Lass (Jim Cassidy) are set to take their place in the field.
Waterhouse’s previous Flight Stakes winners were Assertive Lass (1996), Danglissa (1999), Ha Ha (2001), Lotteria (2004), Fashions Afield (2005), Cheeky Choice (2006) and More Joyous (2009).
