Promising filly Flying Embers is set to get her first taste of stakes company, with a trip to Brisbane locked in as she aims to tackle the Group 3 Gunsynd Classic (1600m) at Eagle Farm next weekend.
Trainer John Thompson confirmed the rising three-year-old will test herself over the mile after stringing together an impressive run of form in New South Wales, where she has won four of her last five starts.
Flying Embers notched her breakthrough city win at Randwick on May 24, when she prevailed by over a length in a Benchmark-72 Midway Handicap on a heavy surface. That came after another victory at Kembla Grange over the same 1400m trip.
“She’s a nice filly,” Thompson said.
“She beat older horses the other day at Randwick and did it three-wide with no cover. I think going back against her own age group is going to help.”
While the Gunsynd Classic will be her first outing over 1600 metres, Thompson is confident Flying Embers has the strength to handle the rise in distance.
“She’s never raced over a mile, but she’s been hitting the line strongly in her last two wins over 1400,” he said.
“She’s honest. She tries and she’s just a quality filly.”
The Gunsynd Classic forms part of Saturday’s Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap meeting, and Thompson believes it’s the right time to give his filly a chance at black-type success.
He added that Flying Embers had pulled up well after her most recent run and is ready to go one more time before a break.
“I reckon that will be her last run for the preparation,” Thompson said.
“We’ll put her away after that for the spring.”
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