News

Lily ready for top three Guineas bid

11th May 2011

AAP Racing - Matthew Toogood - Tuesday 10 May, 2011

John O'Shea believes emerging filly Tigress Lily is one of the few genuine chances in Saturday's $250,000 Inglis 3YO Guineas.

The Guineas (1600m) at Scone is set to feature the highly-talented Sincero who returned in emphatic fashion with a five-length heavy track win in the Listed Gosford Guineas last month.

The Stephen Farley-trained gelding continued his preparation for the Scone feature with a barrier trial victory at Randwick last Friday.

O'Shea isn't running scared and has set Tigress Lily for the event since she won an Inglis bonus race at Gosford in November.

"She's a really progressively filly," O'Shea said.

"She got badly interfered with last start in the James H B Carr Stakes and still picked herself up and got going again.

"Her first-up run (for fifth in the Listed PJ Bell) was excellent also, and she trialled well here at Randwick on Friday (when third to Sincero).

"She's one of the few chances in the race, probably the genuine third pick in the race."

The Scone Guineas attracted 15 nominations on Monday headed by Sincero with Hawkesbury Guineas runner-up Speediness also expected to be one of the favoured runners after his fast-finishing performance behind Pimpala Secret.

Tigress Lily has come through her last start eighth in the Listed James Carr (1400m) behind Red Tracer in fine order and pleased O'Shea with her workout on the outside of the course proper at Randwick on Tuesday morning.

Christian Reith, who took riding honours at Canterbury last Saturday with a winning treble, has the ride on Tigress Lily.

"He's going fantastic," O'Shea said of the in-form hoop.

Sydney's leading rider Nash Rawiller has been booked to partner three-year-old sprinting filly Solar Charged in either the Scone Quality (1100m) on Friday or the 3YO Fillies Handicap (1100m) on Saturday.

"I'd prefer to run her against her own age and sex but that will depend on the weight she gets," O'Shea said.

"She's goingreally well, she ran a nice trial on Friday and we're just looking for a dry track."

Solar Charged struggled in the heavy conditions in the Group One Galaxy (1100m) last start but won a 734m trial last Friday in preparation for her Scone assignment.