Lightweight jockey Dean Yendall has been snapped up to ride Thousand Guineas winner Amphitrite in the Group 1 $500,000 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Dean Yendall will ride Amphitrite, above, in the Empire Rose Stakes at Flemington. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
The Darren Weir trained Amphitrite is one of five three year old fillies nominated to take on the older mares in the Empire Rose Stakes, formerly run as the Myer Classic.
The three year old fillies only have to carry 50kg under the weight for age conditions and Yendall had been called upon in the last two years to ride the lightly weighted fillies and has come up trumps with wins on I Am A Star in 2016 and on Shoals twelve months ago.
The other three year old fillies entered in the Empire Rose Stakes are Oohood, El Dorado Dreaming, Seabrook and Fundamentalist.
Amphitrite is the winner of her last four starts and kept the winning momentum going with a last start win in the Group 1 $500,000 Schweppes Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 13 with Craig Williams in the saddle.
Amphitrite is also nominated for the Group 2 $300,000 Mumm Wakeful Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Weir admitted that Amphitrite didn’t show anything special at her first preparation but returned from a spell in great order and has made every post a winner since.
“She showed us a little bit first prep, but nothing like this,” Weir said.
“Went out and matured into a nice big strong filly, trained well and continued to train well and stay sound.”
“It is amazing what happens when those things go with you.”
Early betting for the Empire Rose Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au has Amphitrite as the $4.50 favourite ahead of Aloisia and Invincibella at $6.50 and Oohood, Seabrook and Shillelagh at $7.50.
Pre-post betting for the Empire Rose Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.50 Amphitrite, $6.50 Aloisia, Invincibella, $7.50 Oohood, Seabrook, Shillelagh, $10 I Am A Star, Shumookh, $13 Eckstein, Kenedna, $21 El Dorado Dreaming, Fundamentalist, $26 Bella Martini, Bring Me Roses, Invincible Gem, Mamzelle Tess, Noire, Princess Posh, Temple Of Bel, La Bella Diosa.
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