Flight Stakes-bound Dame Giselle remains undefeated during the Princess Series of races with Team Snowden’s first-up Silver Shadow winner showing great tenacity off a luckless run to charge home for a win in the Group 2 Furious Stakes in race record time.

Dame Giselle made it two-from-two in the Princess Series with a brave win in the 2020 Furious Stakes second-up. Photo: Steve Hart.
A fortnight back the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained I Am Invincible filly Dame Giselle kicked off her spring with a narrow win fresh in the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m).
She returned to the track and distance for the Group 2 $200,000 Furious Stakes (1200m) on Chelmsford Stakes Day and was too good again despite being caught three-deep with no cover the trip.
Jockey Tommy Berry retained the ride on the gun filly and remained calm despite finding himself settled around fifth the run and wide, knowing he was on livewire chance with a devastating turn of foot.
“She didn’t have any luck at all at any stage,” co-trainer Paul Snowden told Sky Thoroughbred Central post-race.
“She’s just shown her tenacity today. She’s done it twice now being three-deep, no cover and got away with the victory so she’s a special filly.
“To her credit, she’s really found them late.”
Dame Giselle had been heavily backed into race day favouritism, but the punters were stressing with the top elect in a hopeless position while Vangelic and Forbidden Love led the field around.
Vangelic with the inside run took the turn in the lead, but was quickly tackled by Richard & Michael Freedman’s last-start winning daughter of All Too Hard Forbidden Love.
Berry however used Dame Giselle’s explosive sprint half way down the straight and the solid favourite found a way to win, flashing home to beat the easing Chris Waller-trained Hungry Heart who was first-up in the Furious Stakes.
On the line Dame Giselle ($3.80) held a half-length over Hungry Heart ($4.40) who really powered home late, while Forbidden Love ($10) did a good job holding on third to round out the trifecta.
It was the second time in as many years a filly completed the Silver Shadow – Furious Stakes double winning the opening two legs of the Princess Series following the 2019 success of Libertini.
Dame Giselle broke the seven-year race record previously set by Bound For Heart of 1:08.83 winning in a sharp 1:09.07.
Dame Giselle continues on the traditional path racing third-up in the Group 2 $200,000 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) before being tried at a mile in the Group 1 $500,000 Flight Stakes (1600m) on Epsom Handicap Day, October 3.
“It’s always been the main aim that she’d excel at the 1400m,” Snowden confirmed.
“She’ll get a bit more of a sit and she’s still got that devastating turn of foot off a wide run.”
Speak Fondly (2015) was the last filly to complete the Furious Stakes – Flight Stakes double.
Futures 2020 Flight Stakes betting at Ladbrokes.com.au has seen Dame Giselle firm in from $12 to $7, while Hungry Heart remains favourite at $3.20 sure to improve getting out over the 1600m.
Click here for the updated Flight Stakes all-in odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.
2020 Furious Stakes Results
Colour | Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Penalty | Starting Price |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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1 | 1 | DAME GISELLE | Peter & Paul Snowden | Tommy Berry | 9 | 56kg | $3.80F | ||
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2 | 3 | HUNGRY HEART | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 0.5L | 3 | 56kg | $4.40 | |
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3 | 10 | FORBIDDEN LOVE | Richard & Michael Freedman | Sam Clipperton | 1.8L | 7 | 56kg | $10 | |
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4 | 5 | VANGELIC | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 2.2L | 4 | 56kg | $11 | |
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5 | 9 | MISS CANADA | Kris Lees | Ms Rachel King | 2.4L | 5 | 56kg | $41 | |
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6 | 11 | CHIANTI | Kris Lees | Nash Rawiller | 2.6L | 1 | 56kg (cd 56.5kg) | $5.50 | |
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7 | 7 | REDOUTE’S IMAGE | Kris Lees | Brenton Avdulla | 3.9L | 10 | 56kg | $21 | |
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8 | 4 | THERMOSPHERE | James Cummings | Jason Collett | 4.5L | 11 | 56kg | $14 | |
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9 | 2 | STELLAR PAULINE | Peter & Paul Snowden | Joshua Parr | 4.7L | 6 | 56kg | $7 | |
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10 | 8 | PHILIZZY | Anthony Cummings | Regan Bayliss | 4.8L | 2 | 56kg | $61 | |
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11 | 12 | ORPHEUM | Ron Quinton | Koby Jennings | 7.8L | 8 | 56kg | $91 | |
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6 | LA VERNAZZA (NZ) | Jamie Richards | Kerrin McEvoy | 0 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.