The Group 1 Thousand Guineas for the three year old fillies is the 2018 Spring target for Smart Melody who scored a brilliant win down the Flemington straight in the Listed $120,000 Cap D’Antibes Stakes (1100m) today.
Smart Melody, above, scored a brilliant win in the Cap D’Antibes Stakes at Flemington,. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Leading Sydney jockey Brenton Avdulla made sure he followed the Kris Lees trained Smart Melody to Melbourne for her Spring Carnival campaign that is heading towards the Group 1 $500,000 Schweppes Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 13.
Avdulla was aboard Smart Melody for her win at Canterbury in June but missed her win at Wyong when Kerrin McEvoy was in the saddle while he was on a riding stint in Japan.
Last season’s Sydney premiership winning jockey was glad that he persuaded connections to let him back on Smart Melody ($2.25 favourite) who showed her class with a brilliant one and a half lengths win over Music Bay ($9) with the $71 outsider Lady Pluck running home for third.
Avdulla settled Smart Melody in the second half of the field when the entire pack went to the grandstand side fence and once he let her have her head at the 300m, the Smart Missile filly slipper into top gear and put the result beyond doubt in a couple of strides.
Stable representative Cherie Marsham said that Smart Melody would now have her next run in the Group 2 $200,000 Schweppes Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield on September 30 on her way to the Thousand Guineas.
“It was a very good win and she has always shown plenty of ability,” Marshaam said.
“She is coming along nice and taking everything in her stride.”
“She is a big strong filly and she always does her best.”
“She will go to the Thousand Guineas Prelude and then try to get her over a mile for the Thousand Guineas.”
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