Aviatress and See You In Heaven primed for Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes at Morphettville on Saturday
The pair enter Saturday's 1200m sprint ready to fire, yet both have enjoyed different preparations, Aviatress is third-up, and See You In Heaven is resuming following a five-month break between runs.
• PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
Aviatress, a daughter of Smart Missile, was dominant winning the Matrice Stakes (1200m) first-up, before a sixth-placed finish in the Group 3 Irwin Stakes (1100m), where not everything went to plan.
'In my eyes she wasn't disappointing, she drew (barrier) one and I reckon she was in the gates for five minutes before they jumped, there was a problem with a few loading,' Jolly said.
'She was just in the gates for an eternity and obviously jumped a bit slow and got a bit squeezed up after the start.
'In an 1100m race, you're on the back foot straight away, she was good on the line and strong late, back to 1200m is going to be better for her. She's come through the run great and we're looking forward to Saturday.'
"And has got them on toast!"
Aviatress turns on the afterburners & makes a mess of her rivals in the Northwood Plume 🚀 @RJollyRacing @CWilliamsJockey pic.twitter.com/I0aCIyEYwd
— Racing.com (@Racing) October 12, 2024
•
See You In Heaven, a five-time Group winner, has a formidable first-up record, her past two first-up runs have resulted in commanding Group 3 wins in the Behemoth Stakes (2023 and 2024).
'We've had no problems with her, she's had some documented hoof issues over her career, just a bit of bruising she gets on the hard tracks, she's been good this prep, we haven't had any dramas with her,' he said.
'She's good first-up, that's why we waited, she's been in work for a while to get ready for this, we're happy with where she's at.
'The query is whether she's quite at Group 1 level, but she is against mares, which is always an advantage when you're against your own sex.'
"She's making a statement, see you in the spring!"
See You In Heaven returns in grand style to win the G3 Behemoth Stakes â�ï¸� @RJollyRacing pic.twitter.com/zxnbMJPj1J
— Racing.com (@Racing) August 10, 2024
• Victorians top betting on Adelaide Group 1 features
Premiership-winning hoop Jake Toeroek will pilot Aviatress on Saturday, while Zac Spain, who won The Goodwood in 2022, will ride See You In Heaven.
'They're both quality mares on their day, I think Aviatress is the one that goes in rock hard fit, she's probably the one on her ratings that is good enough to win it,' Jolly said.
'See You In Heaven probably has to run right up to her best, that's why we elected to go first up with her, that's where she seems to let go and run her best races.
'I'm excited for both of them, it's hard enough to have one runner, let alone have two chances in it, and to have two bites of the cherry.'
Jolly is also buoyed by the return of Sabaj.
The classy gelding was last seen finishing runner-up to Gala Queen in the Morphettville Guineas on Adelaide Cup day, and has been freshened up ahead of Saturday's Group 2 Tobin Bronze Stakes (1200m).
'He's well, he's a quality horse. Back fresh, he's galloped quite well the last two weeks, I'm looking forward to that,' he said.
Aviatress is an $11 chance with Sportsbet, while See You In Heaven is a $15 hope for the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Australian
a day ago
- The Australian
Jones booked in for spring fling with Zarastro
Brisbane's top trainer Tony Gollan has placed his confidence in jockey Angela Jones to break through for her first Group 1 victory, indicating she will likely retain the ride on Zarastro for the star gelding's entire spring campaign. Jones went within a whisker of winning her first Group 1 on Zarastro in the Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) in June, only to be denied by the brilliance of superstar hoop James McDonald on the Chris Waller-trained mare Joliestar. Brisbane's premiership-winning jockey Jones put Zarastro through his paces on Monday, easily winning a jumpout at Cranbourne as the six-year-old prepares for the $200,000 Group 3 The Heath (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday week. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Read: Callow pleads guilty to charges over racially-fuelled videos The seven-year-old gelding will then likely head to the $2m Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at The Valley on September 26 before contesting the $2m Group 3 Sydney Stakes (1200m) on The Everest Day in October at Randwick, although Gollan said there was 'wiggle room' to that plan. And in a sign of how far Jones has improved in the past 12 months, Gollan said the 24-year-old Queenslander would likely stay on Zarastro for his spring campaign, despite the availability of several champion Group 1-winning jockeys. 'Yeah, well there's no reason to take her off,' Gollan said on Monday before boarding a plane from Melbourne back to Brisbane. 'She's got a good association and a good record with the horse so provided the prep is going well and she's going well with him then there's no reason to change. 'She was always booked to come down and ride him.' Angela Jones and Zarastro return to scale after winning the Magic Millions Snippets in January. Picture: Grant Peters - Trackside Photography Gollan could have easily sought the services of champion jockey Blake Shinn, who rode his Cox Plate-bound stable star Antino to memorable victories in the Toorak Handicap last spring and the Doomben Cup in the Queensland winter carnival. Shinn is currently serving a nine-meeting suspension for careless riding but will return to the saddle at Ballarat on August 26. However, Jones has proved she has the right temperament, hunger, work ethic and class to break through for a Group 1 victory after going so close in the Kingsford Smith Cup. 'I think it's a really good move to bring her down and ride him (Zarastro),' said Gollan, who also watched Antino run around in Monday's Cranbourne jumpouts. 'He's always been a quirky little bugger and she gets along with him really well. 'She came down and gave him a jumpout and had a bit of a feel for Victoria, what it's like going this way around.' Read: Memsie mayhem: Racing's rumour mill at its best with Shenandoah shenanigans Jones' Brisbane jockeys' premiership defence got off to a rocky start when she was forced to serve a 13-day suspension at the start of the 2025-26 season. She has two metro victories from 12 starts but has plenty of time to catch early leader Ben Thompson (seven wins from 37 rides). Since former Waller-trained Zarastro came to Gollan's stable in mid 2023, Jones has ridden the gelding in most of his trials and races, including his victory in the $1m Magic Millions Snippets (1200m) on the Gold Coast in January. In-form jockey Ryan Maloney will ride stablemate Golden Boom in the $175,000 Carlyon Stakes at The Valley (1000m) on Saturday. Golden Boom finished runner-up in that Listed race last year to Mornington Glory, which went on to win the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) just two weeks later.
News.com.au
2 days ago
- News.com.au
Charlotte Littlefield-trained She's Bulletproof must prove Group 1 credentials in Caulfield return
Smart mare She's Bulletproof will need to prove herself worthy of a return to Group 1 company when she returns to racing later this month. She's Bulletproof impressed last season when emerging from a Benchmark 64 placing at Bendigo to become a Group 3 winner at Sandown and a placegetter in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate in February. The five-year-old finished fifth in the Group 1 William Reid Stakes at The Valley at her last start in March but trainer Charlotte Littlefield said She's Bulletproof would start her five-year-old season at a lower level at Caulfield on August 30. 'We'll most likely start her off in the (Group 3) Heath Stakes over 1100(m) at Caulfield,' the Pakenham -based Littlefield said. 'We want to just get the first run out of the way because we want to go to the Manikato (Stakes) second-up or she could potentially head up to Sydney. 'If she doesn't go well first-up, we've got other options. 'She needs firmer tracks so we'll also be dictated to by the weather.' She's Bulletproof has been unplaced in both trials leading up to her return but Littlefield said there were a few things of which to be mindful after the daughter of Shooting To Win finished eighth at her latest trial on the Caulfield Heath track. She's Bulletproof finished six lengths from the trial winner Miss Roumbini in the 900m hitout. Caulfield Heath Trial 1 | Miss Roumbini Miss Roumbini was too sharp for them today, with the likes of Magic Time, She’s Bulletproof & Skybird also stepping out ðŸ'¥ REPLAYS: — (@Racing) August 12, 2025 • 'It's hard to make too much ground on the Heath track, especially against this class of horse,' Littlefield said. 'I thought it was OK and I thought it was just where we needed her to be. 'She looked good in her action and her recovery was good. 'She also had pads on her feet and they don't get much grip with steels (race plates) on, so that was also something else to note. 'That will bring her only nicely.'
News.com.au
3 days ago
- News.com.au
Mcgaw to launch spring carnival assault in Group 3 McNeil Stakes at Caulfield on August 30 after temperature hiccup for trainers Emma-Lee and David Browne
Husband-and-wife training partners Emma-Lee and David Browne will now unleash Melbourne Spring Carnival challengers Mcgaw and Cup-qualified Basilinna at Caulfield at the end of the month. Mcgaw was set to resume in the Group 3 Vain Stakes at Caulfield last Saturday but a minor temperature spike derailed the Brownes' plans. The three-year-old gelding, undefeated in two starts including the $1m Showdown, has been reset towards the Group 3 McNeil Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on August 30. 'He was just a little bit dull (Friday) afternoon,' Emma-Lee Browne said. 'We checked (his temperature), it's pretty minor but we didn't want to flatten him first-up. 'It was very minor but just enough.' Mcgaw is set to gallop at Caulfield in two weeks to sharpen up for the McNeil Stakes. 'We'll probably bring him here … use that and probably go straight into the McNeil,' Emma-Lee said. 'The trip away is almost like a jumpout for him, he works himself pretty hard.' Mcgaw has impressed in both starts, winning his maiden easily at Pakenham before claiming the $1 million VOBIS Showdown (1200m) at Caulfield back in March. Mcgaw remains unbeaten with a dashing display in the VOBIS Platinum Showdown ðŸ�† The gelding sustained a mid-race move under @LaneDamian & held on for @Em_spartaracing & connections. — (@Racing) March 15, 2025 'We've been really, really, really happy with him,' Emma-Lee said. 'He's developing into a lovely strong horse. 'He's a naturally fast horse and he's still learning how to harness his speed. The Brownes' two stable stars Basilinna and Statuario are both not far off their returns with some big targets in the months ahead. 'We're holding all of our balloons at the moment, hoping none of them are going to pop,' Emma-Lee said. 'It's good and the horses are coming along nicely.' Basilinna holds ballot exemption in the Melbourne Cup after the five-year-old daughter of underrated Kiwi-based staying stallion Staphanos (JPN) won the Listed Andrew Ramsden at Flemington back in May. See you in the Melbourne Cup! ðŸ�† Basilinna heads straight to a Melbourne Cup after winning the Andrew Ramsden! @Em_spartaracing — 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) May 17, 2025 Basilinna has two public hit outs under the belt with her return slated for August 30. 'The plan is for her to resume at the end of the month in a 2000 metre open handicap at Caulfield on Memsie Stakes Day,' Browne said. 'She's an out and out stayer, that doesn't like being bustled early so the longer distance races keep her happy. 'She's coming up really well and we're excited about what's ahead.' Basilinna is rated a $34 chance in the Melbourne Cup. 'We've got a few options (to get there)' Emma-Lee said. 'We'll get through the first race but we programmed what we could fit in, with maybe the Cup being fifth-up because that seems to be when she's gone very, very well. 'It's a nice position to be in (Cup qualified) but it's still slightly nerve racking.' Group 1 -placed Statuario will resume at The Valley on September 6. • Maher colt comes out on top in Vain battle Statuario surprised his trainers when looking 'really sharp' and holding off the highly-regarded Deakin to lead throughout in a recent 1200m Pakenham jumpout in which Basilinna placed third. 'He's going super and we're a bit excited about him looking to the future,' Emma-Lee said. 'The couple of trips away last prep have brought him on mentally. 'We're planning to kick him off in the So You Think Stakes at Moonee Valley. 'Everything is on the table for him in the spring, we'll be guided by how he performs in open company.'
