Yankee Rose best among six runners

With Omei Sword scratched from the Flight Stakes, the remaining fillies are lining up for the ultimate redemption in a group one race.

In a field littered with hard- luck stories, Omei Sword contributed her own chapter after her spring ended on Thursday morning, when she was found to be suffering a respiratory infection.

The Chris Waller- trained filly’s withdrawal rocketed Yankee Rose to $ 1.90 favouritism for the feature over ( 1600m) at Randwick today.

Yankee Rose was heavily backed to win the Golden Rose but after unexpectedly finding the lead, she found herself outside her comfort zone and finished sixth.

Trainer David Vandyke said he would tell jockey Blake Shinn to seek cover with Yankee Rose today.

Omei Sword had been as short as $ 1.60 for the Flight, but despite her absence Waller retains t wo strong hopes for the race.

Awoke shares the third line of betting with the James Cummingstrained Tea Rose Stakes runnerup Skylight Glow at $ 6 and Sezanne is a $ 9.50 chance.

Of the six runners engaged after scratchings, four come out of the traditional lead- up Tea Rose at Randwick on September 17.

Awoke couldn’t find her way through traffic when seventh behind stablemate Foxplay in that race at Randwick on September 17, while Sezanne finished fourth.

“I can’t really say Awoke is going any worse than the likes of Foxplay and Sezanne that were obviously the benchmark last start. She’s a good chance of running in the top three,” Waller said.

Sezanne also encountered her share of bad luck in the Tea Rose.

“She got back and had to cover a bit of extra ground and was beaten a neck. She’s got some upside to her. She can really improve.”

Global Glamour’s co- trainer Adrian Bott said she cost herself the Tea Rose by over- racing and finishing sixth, less than a length behind the Waller- trained Foxplay.

“She can be a little bit quirky and uptight at times,” Bott said on Thursday. “If she can put it all together and take a deep breath and learn to relax on Saturday she’ll be right there in the finish.”

Bott’s senior training partner Gai Waterhouse is looking for back- toback victories in a race she has won eight times in the past 20 years.

John Thompson- trained Bridle Lane will have to make major im- provement after she finished second in a four- horse midweek race at her last start.

It is rare enough for Chris O’Brien to be seen at a Sydney racetrack on a Saturday, let alone riding in a group one feature.

However, every now and then loyal trainers and owners call on the veteran’s experience for a big race.

He’s relishing the chance to return to Randwick to partner Gosfordtrained Mighty Lucky in the Epsom Hcp. “It is always a pleasure to get back there,” O’Brien said. “The good thing about it is he likes the track as well.”

Mighty Lucky will be O’Brien’s third ride in the Epsom over the famous Randwick mile, 17 years after he rode Eyes To Spy who finished 15th in the final start of his career.

He was on Sincero in 2011, the horse who gave him a group one breakthrough after 25 years of trying, when he won the George Main Stakes in the lead- up to the Epsom.

O’Brien has learned a thing or two about the sort of horse that can be competitive in an Epsom.

“You really want a horse that can stay 2000m, which he can do. He won the Summer Cup last year.”

O’Brien was aboard the Fred Cowell- trained gelding when he finished seventh in the Bill Ritchie Hcp first- up at Randwick on September 17, a little more than a length from winner Sons Of John.

“They went a bit slow for him and he sort of got held up a bit getting to the top of the rise,” O’Brien said.

“He’s made good improvement out of it. He’s gone ahead in leaps and bounds.”

O’Brien would know, he’s been riding Mighty Lucky in trackwork and the horse has continued to impress him.

The pair made a winning start to their association at Randwick over 1600m in April before finishing sixth in the Scone Cup. O’Brien and Mighty Lucky returned to the winner’s circle in the Lord Mayor’s Cup at Doomben in May.

It’s a major step up for the gelding, who is the $ 51 outsider of the 13- horse field.

Chris O’Brien