CHRIS Waller is happy for Miss Antaeus to go for a spell after competing at the lucrative Scone carnival following the filly’s impressive debut win at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
Miss Antaeus was the first horse out of the barriers in the More Than Ready@Vinery Handicap (1100m) but her jockey Blake Shinn was content with sitting well off the fence.
“After she jumped really well, I thought if I can get her in a nice steady rhythm quickly, she’ll finish the race right off, which is half the key to these two-year-olds,” Shinn said.
“From the chute, you’ve only got the one bend and the ground is better off the rail anyway.”
Miss Antaeus was under siege rounding the home turn as Godolphin filly Heroism, who loomed ominously to the outside of Waller’s juvenile.
But Shinn’s decision to get Miss Antaeus to relax quickly paid off as the daughter of I Am Invincible pulled away late for a comfortable win.
“He’s a good stallion that horse,” Waller said. “And his progeny get through the wet very well. The owners (Yarraman Park) of this filly also own I Am Invincible so they’ll be very happy.”
Yarraman Park is in Scone and Waller said Miss Antaeus will get her chance at stakes level in her home town. “She’ll head up for the (Listed) Woodlands Stakes (1100m) and then we’ll give her a spell,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bjorn Baker is eyeing off the Queensland Oaks with Sebrina after the filly powered to victory against the track bias at Warwick Farm.
Sebrina, who Baker says is “more of a dirty blonde” rather than her nominated colour of chestnut, will head to a 2000m race at Randwick before heading north.
“We have to press on for the Oaks after that, don’t we,” Baker said. “She’s come through the worst part of the straight and proven too good and what’s more she was running right through the line.”
Bryce Heys chalked up his second metro win with Major Major in the Pro-Ride Handicap (2400m).
Source: dailytelegraph.com.au
