Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Brilliant three-year-old filly Water Lou is in devastating form, and she faces an interesting test when she clashes with exciting debutant Flybye Lou in the $21,000 Perth’s #1 Station Nova 93.7 Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The New Zealand-bred filly Flybye Lou possesses abundant natural speed, and she will start from the No. 1 barrier, with Water Lou, attempting to extend her winning sequence to nine, at the outside barrier in the field of six.
Water Lou, trained by Mike Reed and to be driven by Shannon Suvaljko, has amassed $325,071 in prizemoney from 17 wins and two second placings from 21 starts, and her speed, strength and versatility should prove far too big a hurdle for her five rivals to overcome.
However, an outstanding effort in a 2150m Byford trial on Sunday morning showed that Flybye Lou has the potential to extend Water Lou.
Flybye Lou was driven by Gary Hall Jnr for trainer Michael Young in the trial in which she began like a flash from the No. 3 barrier and quickly established a lead of 50 metres over her nearest rival No Noney. The margin increased to 100m after a lap, and Flybe Lou was not extended in coasting to victory by 56m over No Noney.
Flybye Lou rated a smart 1.57.1, with the quarters of the final mile being run in 30.1sec., 28.7sec., 30.6sec. and 30.5sec. She is by top-flight American sire Sweet Lou and is the fourth foal out of the American Ideal mare Ideal Flybye, who was retired after racing 31 times for ten wins and four placings for stakes of $62,468.
Flybye Lou’s half-sister (by Bettors Delight) is Kahlua Flybye, who has earned $197,739 from eight wins and 15 placings from 32 starts. She has been placed in five group 1 events and twice in group 3 races.
Young is impressed with Flybye Lou’s natural speed and all-round talent, but he doubts her ability at this initial stage of her career of beating Water Lou.
“She hasn’t got the race smarts to beat Water Lou,” he explained. “She has bad racing manners in that she pulls a lot. Junior (Hall) couldn’t hold her any slower in the trial. Water Lou’s greater experience should prove to be a winning factor.”