Written by Paul Vettise
She’s a half-sister to one of the finest sprinters of more recent times, but Miss Siska (So You Think {NZ}) very much has her own identity and is carving out her reputation as a middle distance performer.
The 6-year-old will be taken one step further on Saturday by trainer Grahame Begg when she stretches out to 2400 metres in the G2 Quayclean Sandown Classic and over a trip nearly double of what her pacy half-sibling Hay List (Statue Of Liberty {USA}) excelled at.
The heavyweight sprinter won three Group 1 features – the Manikato S., the Newmarket H. and the All Aged S. – during his career, which unfortunately coincided with that of Black Caviar and Hay List was a four time Group 1 runner-up behind the champion mare.
Miss Siska has won six times up to 1700 metres and last time out she showed she had the scope to cope with longer trips when she was second in the G2 Matriarch S. over 2000 metres at Flemington.
“She’s a sit on speed sort horse and can maintain a good gallop, she doesn’t have quick acceleration but once she gets to her high cruising speed she can maintain it,” Begg said.
“The 2400 metres is the great unknown, she’s going to it for the first time and the freshness is out of her legs. She’s by So You Think and she looks a lot like him.”
“The 2400 metres is the great unknown, she’s going to it for the first time and the freshness is out of her legs.” – Grahame Begg
Begg said Miss Siska was thriving on a regular diet of racing and looked in terrific order.
“She’s on the back-up for the third week and she’s done particularly well in the stable. To our eyes all the indicators say that there’s no reason she can’t get to the races.”
Miss Siska
To be ridden by James Doyle, Miss Siska finished consecutive and respectable eighths in the G1 Toorak H. and in the G1 Empire Rose S. before beating all but Oceanex (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) in last Saturday’s Matriarch.
One trait Miss Siska does share with Hay List is their imposing physiques.
“She’s 550kg so she’s a big, strong mare and she’s been well looked after throughout her career,” Begg said.
“She’s a 6-year-old now and it’s not a vintage field so it’s a good opportunity to have a crack with her.
“She’s a 6-year-old now and it’s not a vintage field so it’s a good opportunity to have a crack with her.” – Grahame Begg.
“She’s bouncing around and ready to go. It will be good ground, which she likes, and there doesn’t look to be a huge amount of pace in the race so if she can get into a nice rhythm I’m sure she’ll run well again. "
Connections of Miss Siska after winning the Catanachs Jewellers Bendigo Gold Bracelet at Bendigo
Miss Siska is owned by the Davenport family, who also bred and raced Hay List, and is out of Sing Hallelujah (Is It True {USA}), who was successful on five occasions up to 1250 metres.
While it is predominantly a sprinting pedigree, family members do include the G1 Victoria Oaks winner Lasqueti Spirit (Beneteau) and the G1 Doomben Cup winner Mr Bureaucrat (Bureaucracy {NZ}).
Begg also has two other chances on the card with Vanuatu (High Chaparral {Ire}) in the G3 Le Pine Funerals Summoned S. and All Over Bosanova (Court Command) will have her first start for the stable in the Listed Clanbrooke Racing Doveton S.
Vanuatu was a winner at Cranbourne two runs back and then finished third in the G3 Tesio S. at The Valley while All Over Bosanova, a seven-time winner, has relocated from Phillip Stokes’ yard.
