Messara and Gavranich have big plans for promising filly Lady Olenna
A promising Scone filly could well be aimed at the home stand-alone carnival in less than a fortnight if she takes the next step up at Monday's Gunnedah meeting.
Lady Olenna, an impressive three-year-old daughter of boom sprint sire Shalaa, lines up for only her third start in a Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1000m.
Based in the Paul Messara-Leah Gavranich stable, Lady Olenna looks beautifully placed from the draw in a race that could weaken off with two of the early market rivals being preferred at Sunday's Dubbo meeting.
A filly which was given plenty of time after first trialling back in July last year, Lady Olenna quickly lived up to her promise for connections.
She was run down on debut at Scone by the smart and unbeaten Tamworth three-year-old Nation Changing, but hit straight back in dominant fashion three weeks ago, tracking the speed before careering away late by nearly three lengths as a hot favourite and comfortably breaking 34 seconds for her last 600m in soft ground.
It signalled a very progressive sprinter which could tackle a much better class over the two-day Scone carnival on May 16-17.
The stable has been very deliberate in bringing her along slowly, and with leading jockey Aaron Bullock again aboard from a handy draw, she looks one of the best bets at the meeting.
On a surface likely to improve from soft 5 to good 4, the stable will also be hunting a win in the opening race with debutant filly Stolen Summer.
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Another smart one for TASSORTðŸ�°ðŸ'¥ The @EmiratesPark bred & raced MANAAJEM is individual winner no.21 for her sire, scoring first time asking after 2 previous trial wins🚀 Royally bred with the talent to matchðŸ'° Congratulations to the @SnowdenRacing1 team & all winning… â€' Newgate (@NewgateFarm) December 31, 2024 'Both her trials have been quite good. We have always thought quite a bit of her and we are pleased with the way she has come back,' Snowden said. 'She has a good draw and Tommy has ridden her in nearly all her work and in her trials. 'We are quietly confident she can run well.' Snowden was hoping to get a maiden win on the board for Catonahotinroof at Canberra last start but things didn't go to plan when she missed the start by seven or eight lengths before finishing less than three lengths behind Celestial Breeze in fifth place. 'She just hopped up in the air as the gates opened and lost all chance,' Snowden said. 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