Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Fireworks are set to explode when star mares Aardiebytheseaside, Steno and Our Sandy Shore clash in the $150,000 Westral Mares Classic over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night when the three female drivers in the Group 1 event are sure to be planning to gain a significant advantage by getting to an early lead and then dictating the terms of the race.
Deni Roberts (Aardiebytheseaside) and Maddison Brown (Our Sandy Shore) have signified their intentions of making bold bids to win the start, while Jocelyn Young is certain to think seriously about using Steno’s renowned explosive gate speed.
The Colin Brown-trained Our Sandy Shore is in dazzling form and her twelve starts this season have produced eight wins and two placings, and she has drawn the prized No. 1 barrier, with Maddison Brown saying: “It’s obviously going to be a high-pressure race, and we will be using Our Sandy Shore’s gate speed with guns blazing, for sure.
“Then we will have to assess what we’ll do (attempting to set the pace or opting to take a sit). I was happy with the way she did it last Friday night (when she began from the No. 5 barrier, took the lead after 300m and won by a length from Sista Sammy over 2130m).”
Aardiebytheseaside, prepared by leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, has drawn favourably at barrier No. 2, while Steno has an awkward draw at barrier six.
“I think Steno and Aardiebytheseaside are going to have a good look (for the early lead),” said Roberts. “I’d say I’ll have a go for the lead to take advantage of the barrier draw. I’m pretty happy that we have drawn at barrier two.
“I wanted to draw inside of Steno this week, after she drew inside of Aardiebytheseaside in the Norms Daughter Classic two Fridays ago and set the pace.” Aardiebytheseaside had a tough run in the breeze before wilting to finish fifth behind Steno, who held on to win by a half-head from the fast-finishing Little Darling.
“Aardiebytheseaside (a winner at eight of her ten starts this season) has done well since that run, and her latest hoppled run was good, and I’m happy with her.”
Steno is noted for her blistering gate speed and her ability to record fast times when setting the pace. She has won at 21 of her 45 starts and has shown she is capable of running a strong race over 2536m, having won the Golden Nugget Consolation in December 2023 and finishing a one-length second to Aardiebytheseaside (1.54.6) in the Empress Stakes last April.
“Steno seems really well in herself,” said Young, who trains the five-year-old, as well as four-year-olds Castella Dellacqua and Peaceful, who face tough assignments from difficult draws, with Castella Dellacqua out wide at barrier seven and Peaceful on the outside of the three runners on the back line.
Trent Wheeler has been engaged to drive Castella Dellacqua, and Kyle Symington will drive Peaceful.
“Peaceful has a couple of strings to her bow,” said Young. “Castella Dellacqua’s work has been excellent, and if the race is run upside down, I wouldn’t be surprised if she runs home strongly.”
Little Darling is in top form for trainer Barry Howlett and star reinsman Chris Lewis, with strong finishing seconds to Aardiebytheseaside and Steno at her past two appearances. She will start from barrier five and looks set to be driven in a sit-sprint capacity.
Wonderful To Fly (barrier three) and Penny Black (barrier nine) are racing enthusiastically and are certainly not impossible.
Wonderful To Fly, trained and driven by Shane Young, ran on well when third to Steno in the Norms Daughter Classic, a week after finishing fast to win from Hampton Banner over 2130m. Wonderful To Fly set the pace when second to Simply Shaz in the Mares Classic 12 months ago.
She also showed her ability over 2536m last year when she finished second to Simply Shaz in the Empress Stakes and second to Tricky Miki in the Golden Nugget.