The 2013 Crown Oaks this Melbourne Cup Carnival is the grand final dream for rising three-year-old Lady Lakshmi with co-trainer David Feek confirming they have the fillies’ classic in their sights after her Flemington win over the boys this weekend.
Another Flemington win has confirmed 2013 Crown Oaks ambitions for Lady Lakshmi. Photo: Bruno Cannatelli.
Posting her third consecutive victory the smart daughter of Lonhro set herself up for an ambitious Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival campaign a little later in the year, Lady Lakshmi proving too good in today’s $80,000 Ken Cox Handicap (1410m).
Hitting the line a length ahead of Mick Price’s roughie Resistant ($21) with Razzle Dazzle Rock ($14) a close third in the fifth heat of the Taj Rossi Series, the Daniel Stackhouse-ridden winner did plenty of work early from her wide barrier.
She found the front on the straight however having sat just off the frontrunners and did well to hang on for the win as the backmarkers made their moves over the closing stages.
It was performance that had her trainers David Brideoake and Feek smiling too as the $1 million Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m) at Flemington on November 7 develops into more than just a pipe dream.
“She’s shown to us that she’s got class and if she continues to raise the bar then the Oaks will be the ultimate goal,” Feek said.
Feek also has confidence she’ll be well suited to a step up in distance right up to the mile and a half (2400m) based on her staying pedigree.
“Her dam (Dashing Granada) ran a good race in the Oaks and she deserves to go there if she proves worthy. I think a mile-and-a-half will suit her,” he said.
Dashing Granada was fourth beaten only half a length by Lovelorn in the 2000 VRC Oaks one run after her third in the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes over the Flemington mile.
As for Lady Lakshmi next race Feek said they would back her up in the $120,000 Listed Taj Rossi Series Final (1600m) back at the track on July 6 ahead of the spring.
“She’ll come back for the final in a couple of weeks. Based on her pedigree we’d like to try and sneak some black type and this is right time of the year to do that,” Feek said.
“We’ll just take her home and give her a few weeks ridden quiet on the farm, she doesn’t need to go out for a traditional two or three week spell and we don’t have time for that anyway.
“She’s progressed nicely and her demeanour suggests to me that she’s a classy horse.”
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