Sydney's top 3-year-old fillies: what are their aims?

Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan

Earlier this month, we outlined the spring targets for Sydney and Melbourne's best colts. This time, we look at the plans of some of Sydney’s best-performed 3-year-old fillies.

Of the five Group 1 races for 2-year-olds in 2023/24, two went to colts and the rest went to fillies. Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon) won the G1 Golden Slipper, Manaal (Tassort) won the G1 Sires’ Produce S. and Hayasugi (Royal Meeting {Ire}) won the G1 Blue Diamond S.

Lady of Camelot has Everest aims

G1 Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot resumed in the G1 AJ Moir S., attempting to copy Slipper/Moir winner She Will Reign (Manhattan Rain), and ran well for third. She now has two wins and three placings from six starts with earnings over $3.6 million. Of note, 2022 Moir winner Coolanganta (Written Tycoon) was the last 3-year-old winner of the Moir and she had previously run third in the G1 Golden Slipper.

“We are a bit light on fillies this year,” said co-trainer Adrian Bott. “Lady Of Camelot resumed in the Moir and is going to the Shorts this Saturday. We are looking at an Everest program for her and will keep her to sprinting trips. Maybe she’ll get to the Coolmore at the back end of her campaign.”

Clean Energy (Zoustar), a $2.6million yearling purchase by Yulong Stud from Widden at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, lived up to her price-tag with two wins from as many starts at two including the Listed Bill Carter S., a race where Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel) ran second.

“Clean Energy is still spelling. We had to give her a bit more time and we’re in no rush with her. She might run in the late spring but will target the autumn. She has beaten the Ming Dynasty winner (Lady Shenandoah) in both her starts at two, so her form is holding up.”

The stable also has Too Darn Lizzie (Too Darn Hot {GB}) running in the Jim Maloney S. on Saturday in Victoria, and Chateau Miraval (Zousain) in the G2 Tea Rose at Randwick on Saturday.

Manaal leads Freedman stable

G1 Sires’ Produce S. winner Manaal is the headline act at the Michael Freedman stable. Winner of two of her six starts at two, Manaal resumed at three with a third placing in the G2 Silver Shadow S. then won the G2 Furious S. at her most recent start.

“She’s halfway through her spring prep already. At this stage she’ll run in the Tea Rose. Beyond that, I’ll keep an open mind. Will we push to Flight Stakes? It depends on how she unfolds,” said Freedman.

Spirit of Wealth (Capitalist) won on debut at Newcastle on August 29. She was purchased by Darby Racing for $90,000 from Newgate Farm’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale draft.

“Spirit Of Wealth is a Capitalist filly who won her maiden (at Newcastle) and was good on debut. She’ll run again next week and may head to Melbourne for a filly’s stakes race next. The sprinting 3-year-old fillies program in Sydney is light. There’s not much here for them, so I’ll have start to think about Victoria.”

Seascape (I Am Invincible) was impressive when winning on debut back in April at two. She resumed in August at three with a third, then won at Canterbury last start.

Empress Of Japan (NZ) (Savabeel) won on debut at two in March, then failed in the G2 Percy Sykes S. Back at three, she ran fourth first up and runs on Friday at Kembla Grange. She holds nominations for the G1 Flight S and G1 Golden Rose. Empress Of Japan was purchased by Freedman along with Gandharvi and Mick Wallace for $150,000 at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale from the Little Avondale Stud draft.

“I’ve got a bit of time for Empress Of Japan, and Seascape is one of John Camilleri’s who won her last start and is heading in the right direction.”

Neasham’s promising trio

The Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald stable’s filly Castanya (Capitalist) won the Listed Lonhro Plate at two. A $300,000 purchase by Annabel Neasham from Newgate Farm’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft, she is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Tempt Me Not (Strategic Maneuver).

“(Castanya was) a brilliant 2-year-old, she had a little set back so is spelling and won’t be seen until autumn,” said co-trainer Rob Archibald.

Couples Retreat (NZ) (Super Seth) won on September 7 at Hawkesbury over 1000 metres, which was her second start, having run second on debut. Purchased by Annabel Neasham with Mitchell Bloodstock (FBAA) at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale for NZ$280,000, she came from the Waikato Stud draft and is one of nine winners from the first crop of Super Seth.

“We have Couples Retreat coming up nicely and she’ll probably head to the Heritage.”

“Another we really like is Wittelsbach. She’s yet to race and will get over ground. She’s doing everything right.”

Wittelsbach (Dundeel {NZ}) is a three-quarter sister to Listed winner Silvera (High Chaparral {Ire}) and she was a NZ$200,000 purchase by Annabel Neasham and Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale from the Curraghmore draft.

The dominant Chris Waller stable

Chris Waller trained Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel) won the G3 Ming Dynasty H. last Saturday and was stakes placed at two. Purchased by Hermitage Thoroughbreds for $525,000 from Arrowfield Stud’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale draft, she became the 147th stakes winner for her Champion Sire. She is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Stronger (Not A Single Doubt).

In the G2 Tea Rose S. on Saturday, the Waller stable will run unbeaten Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) and Lazzura (Snitzel), while Delichy Boulevard (Snitzel) holds dual nominations for the Tea Rose and the Jim Maloney S. in Melbourne.

Autumn Glow was brilliant in winning the G3 Up And Coming S. last start to take her record to two from two, and she was sold by Silverdale Farm at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale for a sale topping $1.8 million, purchased by Arrowfield Stud and Hermitage Thoroughbreds. She is a half-sister to Group 1 winner and young sire In The Congo, and their dam Via Africa (Saf) (Var {USA}) was a triple Group 1 winner in South Africa.

Lazzura won the Listed Woodlands S. at two, being unbeaten in two starts at that age. She resumed at three in the G3 Furious S. where she ran third. The stable declined to comment.