Talented filly Winx will defend her unbeaten record at Royal Randwick on Saturday after she was included in the 2014 Tea Rose Stakes field.
Winx scored an impressive victory over a strong field in the 2014 Furious Stakes. Photo by: Steve Hart
Winx (barrier two) started her racing career with two straight victories in lower grade races in June before she stamped herself as a filly to watch with a dominant upset victory over Alpha Miss and Earthquake in the Group 2 Furious Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on September 6.
Earthquake (barrier three) started the Furious Stakes as a clear favourite before finishing a disappointing third, but Godolphin are hopeful that she can produce an improved performance on top of the ground in the Tea Rose Stakes this weekend.
The Exceed And Excel filly was the star two-year-old of the autumn, taking out the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) before finishing second in the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m), and the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) and Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) remain on the agenda for the three-year-old.
Alpha Miss (barrier six) worked home well to finish second in the Furious Stakes and will back-up in the Tea Rose Stakes this weekend, while Sires Produce Stakes winner Peggy Jean (barrier seven) and Team Cummings-trained Sultry Feeling (barrier five) have also been included in the Tea Rose Stakes field after running in the Furious Stakes a fortnight ago.
One of the most interesting runners in the Tea Rose Stakes will be Team Hawkes-trained Lady Sharapova, who is another filly that should appreciate a firmer track at Royal Randwick this weekend.
Lady Sharapova (recorded her maiden race win in the Races.Com.Au Handicap (1250m) at Canterbury on August 6 and she finished third behind Panzer Division and Shooting To Win in the Group 3 Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) at Royal Randwick on September 6, despite failing to handle the rain affected surface.
John Thompson-trained First Seal (barrier one) will be making her black type racing debut in the Tea Rose Stakes after she performed well in her two race starts to date this preparation.
First Seal resumed with a narrow win in the Daily Press Group Plate (1100m) at Randwick on August 13 and she finished second behind the highly-rated Sweynesse, who will run in the Group 3 Spring Stakes this afternoon, in the Early Quaddie Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on August 30.
The 2014 Tea Rose Stakes field is rounded out by Bryan Dais-trained Melanya (barrier eight), who will also be making her debut at Group level.
