The 2017 Flight Stakes Form Guide is an ideal reference point for racing fans and punters ahead of Saturday’s Group 1 race for three-year-old fillies at Royal Randwick.

Alizee leads a smart Group 1 Flight Stakes field. Photo: Steve Hart

Alizee leads a smart Group 1 Flight Stakes field. Photo: Steve Hart

Some of the season’s most exciting fillies will step out in the 2017 Flight Stakes field and we have studied each runner in detail, in order to help you find the race winner.

Godolphin filly Alizee is set to jump race favourite in the Flight Stakes, but she is sure to face plenty of resistance from the likes of Champagne Cuddles and Cellargirl.

Champagne Cuddles

Classy filly Champagne Cuddles has returned to racing in outstanding form this season and should prove extremely difficult to beat in the Flight Stakes. The daughter of Not A Single Doubt immediately stamped herself as a filly to follow upon debuting to racing and was unlucky not to post a maiden black type win at her first attempt when flying home to finish second in the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) on August 19th. Repeating that effort for second in both the Group 2 Furious Stakes (1200m) and Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m), Champagne Cuddles was sent off at long-odds in the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) last weekend, but again ran on well to finish second. A step up to a mile is ideal and the filly is rock-hard fit for her Flight Stakes assault.

Alizee

Godolphin filly Alizee carries winning form into the Flight Stakes and is another horse that appears as though she will relish a mile. Sent to the paddock after finishing fifth in the Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes (1200m) on Day 1 of The Championships, Alizee resumed this time for a smart win in a Warwick Farm sprint on August 2nd, before finishing a close second to Formality in the Silver Shadow Stakes. The Sepoy filly failed to fire in the Furious Stakes, but responded with a comfortable win in the Tea Rose Stakes a fortnight ago. Alizee will have plenty of early options from barrier 10 and will be partnered by veteran hoop Glyn Schofield in the Flight Stakes.

One More Honey

One More Honey will take her position in the Flight Stakes field third-up and is not without a chance of finishing in the first three. Winner of the Group 2 Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m) in February 25th, the Onemorenomore filly resumed from a freshen-up for ninth in the Group 1 Inglis’ Sires (1400m), before finishing off the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) well for fifth on April 15th. Running a credible fourth in the Silver Shadow Stakes first-up this time, One More Honey was last seen finishing fifth in the Tea Rose Stakes. She should take plenty of natural improvement into this race and is drawn ideally in barrier 2.

Cellargirl

Queensland raider Cellargirl has been a strong and consistent performer this time and is a live chance of winning the Flight Stakes on Saturday afternoon. The More Than Ready filly has shown outstanding ability throughout her entire racing career so far and resumed in winter for an easy win in the Listed Bill Carter Stakes (1200m), before being forced back to the paddock with a minor injury. Cellargirl resumed for a smart win at Doomben on August 16th and ran second behind Snitz over 1350m on September 2nd, before debuting in Sydney for third in the Tea Rose Stakes. A mile looks ideal for the three-year-old who could receive the run of the race from barrier 4.

Sweet Deal

A second filly for trainer John Thompson in the Flight Stakes field, Sweet Deal made a credible transition to black type company when sixth in the Tea Rose Stakes a fortnight ago, but would need to improve drastically to walk away the Flight Stakes winner. The daughter of Casino Prince steadily worked through the grades upon resuming in August and posted her maiden race win in a 1350m race in Newcastle on September 5th; her last start prior to the Tea Rose Stakes. The addition of Hugh Bowman to the saddle is a big plus and Sweet Deal should enjoy a good run in transit from barrier 5.

I Am Excited

I Am Excited failed to fire in the Tea Rose Stakes, but she has managed several smart performances and results throughout her racing career and is worth consideration at each-way odds. I Am Excited ran a pleased third in the Listed Woodlands Stakes (1100m) at Scone in May and was sent to the paddock after posting a smart win at Warwick Farm a fortnight later. The Snitzel filly took plenty of benefit from a first-up run for fifth behind Menari in the Listed The Rosebud (1200m) first-up and finished third in the Furious Stakes in her only other start prior to the Tea Rose Stakes. In-form hoop Kerrin McEvoy will take the ride on I Am Excited from barrier 8.

Legal Girl

Legal Girl didn’t show much through her debut preparation, but she has returned to racing in smart form this time and is primed for a strong third-up run in the Flight Stakes. The Star Witness filly was sent to the paddock after she failed to beat a single runner home in the Listed The Phoenix (1350m) at Doomben on June 3rd, but resumed this time for a close second in a Warwick Farm 1200m sprint on September 6th. Having won a 1500m race with complete ease on September 17th, Legal Girl is proven at the distance and will be ridden by in-form hoop Corey Brown.

Pandemonium

Pandemonium failed to fire in the Tea Rose Stakes, but she is far better than that performance suggests and may look to take up the running in the Flight Stakes from barrier 3 and with Joao Moreira in the saddle. Resuming for a credible fourth at Wyong on July 25th, the Sebring filly posted two dominant wins in races over 1400m and a mile respectively, leading into the Tea Rose Stakes. A return to a mile is ideal and Pandemonium is a live chance in Flight Stakes betting markets at healthy odds.

Smooth Landing

John Thompson’s third entrant in the Flight Stakes field, Smooth Landing has yet to post a race win and faces a huge task in winning Saturday’s Group 1. The Snitzel filly ran third in a Canterbury 1250m sprint first-up on August 9th, before finishing fourth at Warwick Farm on August 23rd. Smooth Landing appeared out of her depth when eighth in the Tea Rose Stakes and she probably cannot win the Flight Stakes.

Luvaluva

Plenty of hype has followed Luvaluva’s career since she debuted for a dominant win at Goulburn on July 24th, but her two most recent performances suggest that she isn’t a winning chance in the Flight Stakes 2017. Failing to produce anything when seventh in a Kembla Grange minor over 1400m on August 19th, the Mastercraftsman filly performed well in a Randwick trial on August 31st, but was again well beaten in the Group 3 Spring Stakes (1600m) at Newcastle on September 15th. She will need to show some early speed to cross the field and take up the running from barrier 9.

College Romance

College Romance faces a big step up in class and is another filly who will find it very difficult to finish in the Flight Stakes first three. The daughter of Denman failed to produce anything in her first two career starts and was last seen finishing second after leading in the Rural Bitumen Services Maiden (1400m) at Kembla Grange last weekend.

About The Author

Jared Timms

Jared graduated with a journalism degree in 2011. He is a keen sports fan and has enjoyed many accolades for his lively writing style and comprehensive coverage of major sporting events and horse racing. Today, you can find Jared cheering on his beloved Manchester City with a beer in hand.