The 1600m G1 Flight Stakes is set to take place at Randwick this Saturday and has 16 three-year-old fillies facing the starter. This gives these fillies a chance to get another run under their belt before potentially heading to Melbourne for the Thousand Guineas, to be held 10 days later, or another step up in distance on their way to the VRC Oaks, during Cup Week.
Just one filly comes out of last week’s quickly run Golden Rose and she is on top of the markets. Sportsbet has Startantes as the $4 favourite, as of Friday morning, but she has plenty of competition with four other horses priced at $10 or less.
Given the lack of class and high rating performances out of the three-year-old fillies so far this season, this is expected to be a wide open race with plenty of chances. We have worked through the form to come up with our best tips, so read on below to find out who they are, as well as our runner by runner preview of the 2021 Flight Stakes.
1. Four Moves Ahead (13) – $4.60
Jockey – Nash Rawiller
Trainer – John Sargent
Four Moves Ahead was an impressive winner in the Tea Rose Stakes and Nash Rawiller expects that she can improve again on that effort. The worry is barrier 13, but she jumped from nine of 12 in the Tea Rose and her impressive early speed allowed her to push forward and settle in a nice spot, which she can do again in this. This is her first time over 1600m but the way she ran through the line over 1400m in the Tea Rose suggests she will love this.
2. Mallory (5) – $5
Jockey – Hugh Bowman
Trainer – Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou
Arguably should have won the Tea Rose. Mallory had a nice spot in the running, being one back on the fence, but had to deal with a slowing Rocklily for the first half of the straight and then didn’t quite have the same finish as the winner because of that. She has been impressive without winning in her last two races and seems primed for the jump up to 1600m. She gets Hugh Bowman on board and barrier five gives her every chance to succeed.
3. Swift Witness (8) – $9.50
Jockey – Tim Clark
Trainer – Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
Swift Witness gives herself every chance by being up on the speed and we saw what Tim Clark was able to do on a Waterhouse & Bott on pacer in the Golden Rose last week. She was half a length off Four Moves Ahead in the Tea Rose and gets a better barrier for this race. The query is given the others shot past her in the straight if she will be able to match it up in distance.
4. She’s All Class (10) – $10
Jockey – James McDonald
Trainer – Chris Waller
She’s All Class jumped as favourite in the Tea Rose but McDonald decided to take her to last, nearly 10 lengths of the leaders. Given the way the track was playing on the day she had no chance of catching them but was still 4.13L back in eighth. She has a worse barrier in this race but surely J-Mac shows more early intent and gets her in the race?
5. Startantes (6) – $4
Jockey – Sam Clipperton
Trainer – Robert Heathcote
The late-entry favourite that is the only filly to come out of last week’s Golden Rose. Startantes ran a 98 rating last week, which is the second best rating by a three-year-old filly this season, putting her in a good position for the rise up in distance. Her run from the back of the field to finish sixth against the boys was impressive and the only thing that could undo her here is the quick backup from a brutally run race.
6. Latino Blend (7) – $35
Jockey – Kerrin McEvoy
Trainer – Peter & Paul Snowden
There is definitely plenty of improvement with Latino Blend for this race, given she had a month off from racing before going into the Tea Rose. She had a solid finish to be just 3.2L off the winner and will improve in fitness from that run, meaning the 1600m should be no issue. She is over the odds but does she have the class to win this?
7. Hinged (4) – $26
Jockey – Glen Boss
Trainer – Chris Waller
Hinged brings some unique Queensland form into this race and it is tough to judge how it will stack up. Waller is obviously a class trainer and knows what he is doing, but she finished 5.4L 11th in the Dulcify and then the top three in that race couldn’t fire in the Golden Rose last week.
8. Von Trapp (14) – $14
Jockey – Joshua Parr
Trainer – Mark Newnham
While she was two lengths off the leading three in the Tea Rose, Von Trapp finished fourth in that race and looks a big improver up to 1600m. She was the only filly to run under 12 seconds for the final 200m and is bred to relish the distance, being a daughter of Frankel. The wide draw doesn’t help but given she settled back in the Tea Rose, she has shown she has the ability to burst to the line when given clean air.
9. Chill (1) – $81
Jockey – Alysha Collett
Trainer – Anthony Cummings
Was on Four Moves Ahead’s back entering the straight and had her chance to keep up but just couldn’t. Would need to improve massively in order to compete here.
10. Yearning – SCRATCHED
Jockey – N/A
Trainer – Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
11. Lovemetender (11) – $151
Jockey – Robbie Dolan
Trainer – Anthony Cummings
On the quick backup after a 2L 9th in last week’s Midway Handicap at Rosehill. Isn’t the right formline, there are questions over whether she will be able to perform at a high level after that run and the wide draw also doesn’t help.
12. Fangirl (12) – SCRATCHED
Jockey – Jeff Penza
Trainer – Chris Waller
13. Never Been Kissed (3) – $41
Jockey – Regan Bayliss
Trainer – Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
Had good form heading into the Tea Rose but was found out a bit by some better fillies. Given she didn’t look like anything in that race it is hard to see her featuring here.
14. Stray (2) – $23
Jockey – Glyn Schofield
Trainer – Anthony Cummings
Looks to be progressing up to an Oaks and may not have the speed to match it with some other fillies that are looking at their peak distances and potential Grand Finals.
15. Galactic Angel (15) – $126
Jockey – Brock Ryan
Trainer – Anthony Cummings
Is yet to win a race and today won’t be the day she breaks her maiden.
16. Left Reeling (9) – $71
Jockey – Jason Collett
Trainer – John Sargent
While Yearning has been scratched from this race, she wasn’t fancied to win that race and beat home Left Reeling last start. That doesn’t bode well for her chances here.
Final Word
Since the Tea Rose Stakes was first run in 1980, only six winners of the Flight Stakes haven’t contested that race. That gives us a clear indication of where we should be looking for our Flight Stakes tip and it is hard to look past the winner of the Tea Rose, Four Moves Ahead.
She ran through the line strongly while both her jockey and camp said she came through the race perfectly and would relish the rise in distance that she gets here in the Flight. The wide draw is the worry but given how the track plays at Randwick, 1600m races give you plenty of time to find a position before getting to the bend and her early speed should mean she is in a perfect spot.
Nash Rawiller is on fire at the moment and this looks perfectly set up for Four Moves Ahead to complete the double. Given Sportsbet are offering bonus back up to 5th, you should be safe to either win or get a bonus back as a worst case scenario!
Best Flight Stakes Tip: Four Moves Ahead – Win ($4.60)
There is plenty more Group One racing happening this weekend! If you want to check out our Runner-By-Runner analysis of the Epsom Handicap, click here! If you want a preview of the Group One action down in Melbourne with the Turnbull Stakes, click here! And lastly, if you want to see our analysis on The Metropolitan Handicap, click here!
If you need more news, information and predictions, head over to our Flight Stakes page for all your punting needs!
*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of Sportsbet.
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