ED O’Rourke hasn’t had a Gimcrack Stakes runner before, and admits it has been a rushed job to get his filly to Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Still, he is hoping for a “fairytale” result”.
O’Rourke has booked Melbourne ace Craig Williams for two-year-old Fairy Steps, who debuts against her own sex in the $250,000 Group 3 Gimcrack (1000m).
The Hawkesbury trainer had planned to start Fairy Steps, a daughter of Brazen Beau and the first foal of Irish mare Fee Dansante (by Fastnet Rock), at the official two-year-old trials on the Kensington track last month.
“Unfortunately there was a problem getting the filly’s name through,” O’Rourke explained on Thursday evening.
“As a result I had to trial her earlier this week on Monday at Warwick Farm.
“She trialled super and finished off strongly when second in an 821m heat for fillies.
“Fairy Steps is very professional, and has drawn the rails in the Gimcrack.
“It’s not a situation I like backing her up so quickly for her first start, but we’re going to Randwick with optimism that she will race well provided the trial hasn’t taken anything out of her.
“Fairy Steps has a strong Coolmore connection in her ownership, and a placing would certainly enhance the filly’s value.
“Craig Williams didn’t have a booking, and we’re happy to have him on her.”
Fairy Steps’ stablemate Iron Man pulled up well after his excellent second to Willaidow in a Benchmark 88 Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens last Saturday.
“Iron Man is doing a terrific job this preparation, and I’ve got a couple of options with him in the coming weeks,” O’Rourke said.
“I will nominate him for the 1400m Alan Brown Stakes (worth $1.5m) at Rosehill on Saturday week and see how the race shapes up.
“If he doesn’t run there, he can go to another Benchmark 88 Handicap (1400m) at Randwick the following Saturday.”
. Meanwhile, leading Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup has Reece Jones on standby to ride his talented mare Ausbred Flirt in Saturday’s $1.5m Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick.
Jones is booked for the sole emergency Floating, and will ride Ausbred Flirt if there are no other withdrawals from the capacity line-up.
Widdup has chosen to put blinkers on the mare for her Epsom bid.
“It’s the right time to do it with only 50kg in a Group 1,” he said.
Ausbred Flirt ran well though totally unsuited by lack of solid speed when a first-up fifth to Terra Mater in the Group 3 Tibbie Stakes (1400m) at the Newcastle carnival on September 20.
Widdup ran fourth in the 2022 Epsom with Icebath, who subsequently provided him with a maiden Group 1 success at the Melbourne Cup carnival at Flemington a month later.
Story John Curtis, October 3, 2024 - Pics Bradley Photos
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