Dorrington Farm owner/ breeder Rob Crabtree believes a return to Caulfield Racecourse this weekend on Memsie Stakes Day could also see a return to winning form for his Oakleigh Plate winning sprinter Sheidel who is in the hunt for a 2017 The Everest start.
Sheidel is seeking a start in The Everest this time in. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos
The Lindsay Park-trained Holy Roman Emperor mare steps out for the first time as a six-year-old taking on a gun field of sprinters in the Group 3 $150,000 The Heath 1100 Stakes (1100m).
Fresh during the autumn Sheidel improved on a Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) second to Takedown in Perth from late November to post a one length win in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes Day.
She has been competitive in plenty since, including the brave fourth to Redkirk Warrior at Flemington in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m), but chases her first success since the Oakleigh.
The Heath will see Sheidel return to Caulfield for the first time since her elite level triumph, a track the mare boasts an imposing record of three wins and a second from four starts over.
She also has an excellent 1100m strike rate with five wins and a second from seven previous goes at the metres giving Crabtree plenty of pre-race confidence for Saturday.
The mare warmed up for her spring kick off last week at Tatura and enjoyed a seven-length winning trial over 1000m defeating Newmarket champ Redkirk Warrior.
“She ran at Tatura last week and she ran against Redkirk Warrior,” Crabtree told RSN on Tuesday morning.
“It was a really class field [in the heat]. Regan Bayliss who probably weights 54kg, he rode Redkirk Warrior.
“We had a little 48kg apprentice [Lewis German] on Sheidel, but nevertheless, she won the official trial by seven lengths.
“So, we think in The Heath on Saturday, she’s right in it.
“She’s ready to win.”
Crabtree has high hopes for Sheidel this carnival including a possible run in Sydney’s inaugural Restricted $10 million The Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick on October 14 should she find a slot-holder willing to run her.
“Maybe that’ll lead us to The Everest, who knows?” Crabtree added.
Futures The Everest 2017 odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au have Sheidel listed as a $51 roughie.
She is however the red hot $2.50 pre-field favourite in The Heath Stakes betting for the weekend.
Other key fancies for The Heath 1100 Stakes if accepted include the Lee & Anthony Freedman-trained Santa Ana Lane coming off a third to Saturday’s Memsie Stakes favourite Vega Magic in the Regal Roller Stakes and Darren Weir’s returning Newmarket Handicap runner-up Voodoo Lad.
To back Sheidel on Saturday at the top Caulfield odds and to access the full futures spring betting markets head to Ladbrokes.com.au now.
