Miss Rose De Lago earned herself a crack at Group I races with a dominant win in Wednesday’s $150,000 Group III Ladies’ Day Vase (1600m) at Caulfield.
Trainer Danny O’Brien said the Myer Classic over the Flemington carnival was the goal after Miss Rose De Lago ($3.40 fav) led all the way to defeat Into The Mist ($8) comfortably by 3-1/4 lengths.
“We’re looking at a race like the Myer Classic with her,” O’Brien said.
“Barry and Jan McCrostie sent her across from Perth and we’ve deliberately kept her to light spring campaign as hopefully she could go back for a crack at the Railway Stakes.”
Miss Rose De Lago has won all three of her starts at Caulfield and spends a lot of time at O’Brien’s Barwon Heads property.
“She did win first-up here once before over 1200 metres and I was very happy with her coming into this,” O’Brien said.
“She’s very strong over a mile and up to 2000 metres.
“She’s an Encosta de Lago and, obviously he’s a great stallion, but we’ve found with them they get better with age, I think Douro Valley won a Caulfield Stakes for us as a seven-year-old.
“If you are patient with them there’s usually good improvement in them.”
Amarela ($15) made up a little ground in the home straight for third, beaten for third, beaten 3-1/2 lengths.
racenet