Connections of dual Group 1 winner Yosei are eagerly awaiting her run at Eagle Farm this Saturday to see if the former star filly can progress on for another elite level win at the end of the season.
The Stuart Webb-trained Invincible Spirit three-year-old enjoyed a stunning opening racing season last year.
At just her fifth start, Yosei won the Group1 Inglis Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) in a final-stride thriller over Skilled in April of 2010.
During the spring Yosei would go on to add a second Group 1 win to her impressive record, the filly storming home to finish two lengths clear of her rivals in the 2010 Thousand Guineas over the mile at Caulfield.
Despite showing excellent promise and star potential, Yosei failed at her next two runs finishing dead last in the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) on a Heavy track at Flemington on Derby Day.
She was also found out, unsuited to the distance and slow conditions at Flemington the following week when she finished a well-beaten 10th behind winner Brazilian Pulse in the Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m).
“She never had a lot of luck in the (Crown) Oaks and pulled up a bit ordinary so I gave her a long break,” Webb said.
“She proved to me she couldn’t stay so I’ve decided to keep her to around 1400 metres.”
Sent for a spell, Yosei was bought back last month where she finished sixth beaten two and a half lengths by Dubleanny in the Listed Henry Bucks Straight Six (1200m) first-up at Flemington on May 21.
Despite holidaying in America at the moment, Webb is still looking forward to Queensland Oaks Day at Eagle Farm this Saturday where Yosei is engaged to take on a full field of fellow fillies and mares in the $200,000 Group 2 Dane Ripper Stakes (1400m).
“Unfortunately, I can’t be there tomorrow,” Webb said.
“I’m in the United States on a family holiday and I’ve just visited Disneyland.
“The trip was planned some time ago and it’s unfortunate it clashed with the carnival there.”
Drawn nicely in barrier five and due to be ridden by Jason Maskiell for the first time, Yosei is currently rated a $10 chance in the Dane Ripper markets.
Yosei’s main Queensland Winter Carnival aim is the $500,000 Group 1 Winter Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 25, and she will put her claims for that race on the line in the Dane Ripper tomorrow.
“She’s still on the way up and the Winter Stakes has been her main mission all along,” Webb said.
“I nominated her for the Stradbroke (Handicap, June 11) but that was just as a precaution.
“The Winter Stakes has always been the path we wanted to take with her.”
As expected, Yosei was not one of the 45 first acceptors for the $1 million Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) earlier this week.
