Talented mare Miss Stellabelle should prove hard to hold out in a wide open Listed Typhoon Tracy Stakes (race 6) at Moonee Valley tonight.
Photo by Racing and Sports
The filly has drawn wide but with a ton of pace on early over the 1200m journey she should prove hard to hold out.
Prepared by Mark Kavanagh, Miss Stellabelle resumed last campaign with a soft maiden win at the provincials before racing here second in the Group 3 Champagne Stakes.
Settling and turning last, she motored home to score a 1.5 length win over Platelet in a good form race.
Next start was again here in the Group 3 Red Anchor Stakes and she was no match for the speedy Karuta Queen but did beat the others, finishing runner up after coming from midfield.
To Flemington next for the Listed Gucci Stakes up the straight she again found the line well, this time finishing runner up behind Emmalene, before tackling 1400m for the first time in the Listed Twilight Glow Stakes at Sandown on the Hillside course.
There she settled midfield and loomed up but just couldn't get past Secret Liaison, finishing a nose runner-up before a spell.
This campaign she resumed in the Listed Kevin Hayes Stakes over 1200m at Caulfield and after a poor start settled back on the inside but found the line well for a three length fourth.
She returns to fillies grade here and carries the same weight and her second up win form last campaign, here at this distance in Group 3 grade, is worth noting.
A repeat of that performance would see her go close here and she should be hard to hold out.
The Bart Cummings-trained Empress Rock is a filly on the rise and she should give a big sight.
The daughter of Fastnet Rock was an effortless winner at Warwick Farm on debut before going into the Golden Slipper at her second start.
Starting big odds, she settled midfield in the hectic race before dropping out in the straight.
Cummings gave the youngster a long break and missed the spring entirely before she resumed over 1100m at Caulfield recently.
From the inside gate she raced on the speed and fought on well to finish a three quarter length third behind Shopaholic.
The winner has since franked the form beating the classy filly Mosheen.
Empress Rock will be much improved on the run and is suited by the extra ground.
She has drawn well and will give a big sight on the speed.
The Peter Snowden trained Glows is racing in good form and should also give a sight despite a wide gate.
The Canny Lad filly bolted in at her final run of last campaign to take her maiden, then resumed with a strong win at Geelong.
She then came to town and was a narrow second over 1100m at Caulfield before tackling the Kevin Hayes Stakes last time.
There she sat third and turned there before boxing on well to finish third, beating Miss Stellabelle by a head.
They meet each other at level weights although the drawn makes it tricky for Glows this time.
She rates highly though and should acquit herself well at each way odds.
Fortune Of War rises sharply in grade but was an impressive winner here last time and should be further improved.
The General Nediym filly was placed in Listed grade last autumn as a juvenile then spelled before resuming with a close up fourth at Caulfield.
Glows was a length in front of her and went on to place in the Hayes Stakes but Fortune Of War instead dropped back to maiden grade here and scored a very comfortable win.
She will be fitter again and has drawn well tonight to be camped just off the speed.
