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Sydney mare Amicus continued her love affair with Melbourne as she recaptured her Thousand Guineas form to take out the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.
The last time the Chris Waller-prepared Amicus came to Melbourne, she captured the Group 1 at Caulfield.
After going unplaced during the Sydney autumn, the four-year-old has come back strongly this campaign, as shown by her first-up win in the Group 3 Toy Show Quality at Randwick.
Connections sent her south again for Saturday’s $200,000 assignment and she rewarded them with a strong performance.
After settling back, jockey Craig Newitt balanced up in the straight and she let down strongly, overhauling her rivals to beat Precious Gem and May’s Dream.
Newitt was impressed.
“She’s a good mare – you don’t win Thousand Guineas without being well above average,” he said.
“From a wide gate we just thought we’d ride her quiet and pretty much rely on the tempo of the race, the tempo was there, she travelled well and she was very strong through the line.”
Assistant trainer Justine Hales says it was great to see Amicus return to form and she’s likely to be back later in the spring.
“I think they’ll probably aim her towards a Group 1 like the Myer (Classic) or something like that,” she said.
“They tried to get her to stay in the autumn, they thought she might be an Oaks filly and obviously that backfired – she didn’t quite get that distance.
“She’s come back bigger and stronger, she had a good break … and I think it’s done her the world of good.
“It was a step-up in grade today, (coming up against) these mares compared to the other day, but she’s got class and she showed it.” – Source – Racing.com