Stay With Me is one of nine two-year-old fillies set to tackle the Group 2 Reisling Stakes (1200m) at Randwick this Saturday that could then go on to contest the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) in a fortnight.
David Hayes is on a path to replicate his Golden Slipper success with Miss Finland’s daughter Stay With Me. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
The filly is trained by David Hayes & Tom Dabernig and is the daughter of Miss Finland. It’s hard not to draw parallels between the two considering Hayes won the Golden Slipper with Miss Finland back in 2006.
Hayes revealed that if Stay With Me can win the 2015 Reisling Stakes she will definitely take her place in the $3.5 million Golden Slipper field on March 21. However the trainer also noted there were a number of other lucrative two-year-old races for the filly should the Slipper not eventuate.
“If she wins, for sure,” Hayes told Sky Racing.
“If she doesn’t win, there are lots of lovely races around. There’s a $500,000 fillies’ race (Percy Sykes Stakes) or a Sires’ Produce Stakes or something like that.”
The $1 million Group 1 Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) will run at Randwick on April 4 – day one of The Championships – while the Group 3 Percy Sykes Stakes (1200m) is run the following Saturday.
Stay With Me made her debut in the Listed Talindert Stakes (1100m) on February 21, running second to Pasadena Girl. The filly was taken back to last from the jump but was just two lengths off the leaders onto the course proper. She worked home ok after being near level with 100m to go.
The filly has trained on well since her debut run and a significant improvement has Hayes confident she can emulate her mother’s success.
“If trackwork is any guide, she’s made significant improvement,” Hayes said.
“And that’s what her mother did.”
Stay With Me is a $7.50 hopeful in the Reisling Stakes betting at Ladbrokes.com.au and will jump from barrier four with Hugh Bowman to ride.
Miss Finland won the 2006 edition of the Golden Slipper by four and a half lengths on the back of a fourth placing in the Reisling Stakes.
