Bonny mare Red Tracer is poised to maintain her perfect record on slow and heavy tracks when she lines up in Saturday’s Group Three Millie Fox Stakes at Rosehill.
Placed behind Secret Admirer and Pinker Pinker in the Epsom Handicap last spring, Red Tracer is unbeaten in two runs on heavy ground and one start on slow.
She looks set to get those conditions this weekend with Rosehill rated in the heavy range on Thursday and further rain predicted.
However, the wet weather is unlikely to bother many of the Millie Fox runners.
With dual acceptor Altar an early scratching, only three of the remaining 11 hopefuls haven’t won on rain-affected ground.
Among them is in-form mare Steps In Time, the $4.60 second pick with TAB Sportsbet behind Red Tracer who holds sway with early punters at $2.50.
Crafty Irna, one of the outsiders at $51, is also unproven in the wet.
She will tackle the Millie Fox first-up as a stepping stone to some of the middle distance races over the carnival.
The Ron Quinton-trained mare made a swift rise through the ranks during her three-year-old season and claimed last year’s Group Three Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) just two starts after shedding her maiden tag at Hawkesbury.
She proved it was no fluke with a second to Lamasery in the Group Three Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) last spring.
However, she has failed to fire at her only two runs over 2400 metres and Quinton plans to restrict her to races around the 2000m range this campaign.
“Her mother was a Group One winner at around 2000 metres and I feel maybe she is in that 1600 to 2000 metre category,” Quinton said.
“We probably won’t try her again at 2400 metres.
“But you never say never.”
Quinton reported Crafty Irna had returned to work in good shape and said the Group Three Epona Stakes (1900m) at Rosehill on Guineas day, March 31, was among her goals.
However, he is keeping the door open to bigger targets if Crafty Irna’s form warrants.
“She will progress to the Aspiration and the Epona,” Quinton said.
“If she steps up to the mark we might raise the bar even more.”
