Matthew Smith is charting a course towards Group One honours for gifted four-year-old mare Idle Flyer.
The offspring of Dundeel prepares to launch back in the Group 3 Wenona Girl Quality (1200m) over Randwick’s track this Saturday, with the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) firmly in her sights as the pinnacle.
Holder of a Group Three scalp from spring racing, Idle Flyer was heavily backed into $3.60 favouritism for the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington, only to tire badly and end up last to Pride Of Jenni.
Idle Flyer’s training regimen drew no criticism from Smith, who included two trials, seeing the weekend assignment as a prime kickoff to proceedings, with jockey Zac Lloyd engaged.
“She’s going great,” Smith said.
“I can’t fault her, her work has been really good. I’m expecting her to run really well, mindful that there’s a few sharper ones in there over that distance but I think she’ll be hitting the line strong late.”
“That will set her up nicely to go to 1500 metres second up in the Emancipation on the 28th of March, then the Queen Of The Turf.”
Potential had long been evident in Idle Flyer, according to Smith, who highlighted her previous preparation as the breakthrough, highlighted by a brace of benchmark conquests followed by a decisive win in the Group 3 Angst Stakes (1600m) before heading to the Empire Rose.
“We liked her but she was quite immature the prep before, so when she came back and won first up, we thought well, we’re in business,” Smith said.
“Her work leading into that group win at Randwick had gone to another level, and her work going into Melbourne was outstanding.”
“She never really got comfortable, she’d just been out of her comfort zone in Melbourne all the way.”
Smith remains optimistic about the Queen Of The Turf fitting Idle Flyer to a tee, despite the uncertainty over whether unbeaten marvel Autumn Glow will appear following the George Ryder Stakes.
“If Autumn Glow doesn’t go there I reckon we’re a great chance,” Smith said.
“We won’t be drilling her on Saturday, just comfortable and make sure she hits the line strong and hopefully runs top three and then go to the Emancipation, same thing and then to the mile cherry ripe.”
Idle Flyer is the $3.60 second choice in Wenona Girl Quality markets behind $2.80 leader Gangsta Granny this Saturday, and at $15 for the Queen Of The Turf Stakes.
Visit betting sites to find the keenest racing odds for the Wenona Girl Quality.
