Let's Fly puts herself in contention for next month's Group 1 Queensland Oaks with a dominant victory at Randwick
Let's Fly lived up to her name with a runaway Royal Randwick win that just might have earned her a start in the Queensland Oaks.
Then 45 minutes later, Casual Connection also put daylight between himself and his chasing rivals to put himself into the Brisbane Cup conversation.
For a Saturday Sydney off-carnival meeting without a stakes event, some of the dominant and classy winners including Let's Fly and Casual Connection showed they were on target for interstate feature race raids.
Promising three-year-old filly Let's Fly made a mess of her rivals in the Chalouhi Handicap (1800m), scoring by a widening margin of nearly six lengths.
Let's Fly ($31) raced in a forward position, took the lead around the turn then exploded away to win by five-and-three-quarter lengths from classic hopefuls She's A Dealer ($10) and Hurstville Zagreb ($4.20 favourite).
Will Freedman, who trains in partnership with his father Richard, said Let's Fly's win has given connections reason to consider setting her for the Group 1 $700,000 Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Eagle Farm on June 7.
'I thought she ran really well last week when she over-raced for the large majority of it and we thought, on a heavy track and a week back-up she might settle better,' Freedman said.
'I know the question will be, will we go to Queensland for the Oaks but we will make that decision in the next week or so.
'We have always had a high opinion of her, she ran in the Thousand Guineas last spring, and she has matured a lot this preparation.
'But she has come to hand a lot quicker than I thought. I thought an Oaks was way too ambitious but she has beaten them like a good thing.'
✈� Let's Fly makes a mess of them all at Randwick! @NockBraith | @R1CHARDFREEDMAN | @willfreedman pic.twitter.com/DwJnrhugwA
â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 24, 2025
•
Let's Fly is part-owned by Sky Sports Radio's Racing HQ presenter Dave Stanley who for once was almost lost for words after the race.
'This is my first Saturday winner in town, it's a great thrill,' Stanley said.
Master New Zealand trainer Roger James is still hopeful of getting She's A Dealer to the Oaks despite being well-beaten by Let's Fly.
'My jockey, George Rooke, said She's A Dealer normally sprints and puts the race to bed quickly but she couldn't today,' James said.
'She's a high class filly, we like her a lot, but we have only ever seen her on much better tracks than this. She got weighed down on that track and the winner had taken flight by then.
'But we came here to try and do a job to get into the Queensland Oaks and she's earned another $29,000 for her second.
'They have changed the entry qualification for the Oaks to average earnings per start and she has only had four starts now so that might get us quite close.
'What we will do is prepare her here and then go up Wednesday night before the Oaks. If she doesn't make the field she will get on the plane to go home.'
� Casual Connection relishes on the heavy track and brains them at Randwick! @jsargentracing | @MollyBourke7 pic.twitter.com/9q8VKDeho9
â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 24, 2025
• 'Very easy watch': Agarwood dominates juvenile opener
Then it was Casual Connection's turn to make a statement with his strong staying effort to win the PF Civil Handicap (2400m).
Ridden by star apprentice Molly Bourke, Casual Connection ($11) raced away to score by three lengths from Wuddzz ($4.80 favourite) with just over a length to Asgoodassobergets ($6.50).
Trainer John Sargent revealed Casual Connection won the same Randwick race last year before earning a start in the Group 2 $400,000 Brisbane Cup (3200m) at Eagle Farm only to finish unplaced behind Alegron.
Sargent said Casual Connection could go back for a second crack at the Brisbane Cup on June 14 if the track is rain-affected.
'We ran him in the Brisbane Cup last year but the track was too firm for him,' Sargent said.
'If we happen to get a wet track for the Brisbane Cup next month, then I would give him another chance in the race.
'He's a tough stayer but he's at his best on rain-affected going. Molly rode him very well because the horse needs plenty of galloping room to build his momentum.
'He's not a sit-sprint type, he needs to get into his rhythm because he stays all day.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
32 minutes ago
- ABC News
InZane Rugby League - Should the Tigers let Api go to keep Tallyn Da Silva
On Inzane Rugby League this week Zane Bojack and former Canberra Raiders halfback Sam Williams discussed the prospect of the Wests Tigers losing Tallyn Da Silva off the back of seeing Lachie Galvin in a Bulldogs jersey. The pair discussed the merits of Peter V'Landys and the ARL Commission trying to secure an extended broadcast deal from 2028 and what the NRL should do in retaliation to the AFL s cheduling a State of Origin match between WA and Victoria in Perth next year. Zane and Sam also discussed how Origin 2 was won by the Maroons and what the NRL should do to celebrate Alex Johnston's impending try-scoring record.
Perth Now
an hour ago
- Perth Now
Rugby Australia warned: Release your Wallabies, or else
The British and Irish Lions have put Rugby Australia on notice, declaring the governing body will be breaking an agreement if they don't release Wallabies players to oppose them in tour games. After touching down in Perth on Sunday night, the Lions attended a Welcome to Country ceremony at Kings Park on Monday ahead of the highly-anticipated three-match Test series against Australia. The first Test will take place at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium on July 19, but before that comes a concerted build-up for the tourists. More than 40,000 fans are expected to turn out to watch the Lions take on the Force at Optus Stadium on Saturday night. They will then play the Queensland Reds (July 2), the NSW Waratahs (July 5) and the ACT Brumbies (July 9) before facing a combined Australia and New Zealand outfit in Adelaide on July 12. The Force will unleash Wallabies squad members Nick Champion de Crespigny, Dylan Pietsch, Tom Robertson, Darcy Swain and Nic White against the Lions on Saturday. But complicating matters is the fact the Wallabies take on Fiji on July 6, meaning other Force squad members like Carlo Tizzano, Harry Potter, Jeremy Williams and Ben Donaldson are in camp with the Wallabies and will miss out on the first tour match against the Lions. Australian coach Joe Schmidt was initially keen to protect most of his squad from the tour games, but has since softened his stance somewhat. The Lions want Rugby Australia to make as many Wallabies players as possible available for the tour matches. "The agreement is very clear. It says that Test players have to be released to play in the fixtures leading into that Test series, and so that's our expectation," Lions chief executive Ben Calveley said on Monday. "I think it's really important that these games are competitive. "And it's not just from a performance standpoint. The players do want to test themselves, and they do want to build towards the Test series. "It's also right for the fans and for the broadcasters and the partners and so forth, who are all expecting competitive fixtures, and for the rugby-loving public here in Australia, "We'll play the game at the weekend, and we'll carry on having discussions with Rugby Australia, with (RA chief executive) Phil Waugh and the rest of the executive team." The Lions are licking their wounds following a shock 28-24 loss to Argentina in Dublin last week. Though stung by the defeat, it opened the conversation of whether Argentina or even France deserved to be included on the current rotation of Lions tours. Currently, the Lions only tour every four years, alternating between Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. "We remain open to having discussions about what the future for the Lions may hold, but those conversations are for another time," Calveley said. "You can certainly understand why people will get excited about that sort of a concept (a series in France). "What's not to like about some of those wonderful clubs you could play against and some of those wonderful venues in the summer time as well? "I've seen the feedback over the last couple of weeks from various people ... and it was enormously positive. But we're focused now on this tour. "We haven't made any decisions to go in that direction yet."
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Wyong, Port Macquarie previews: Ron Quinton's winter hot streak to continue
Ron Quinton can ensure the month of June is every bit as merry as the month of May with two more of his hot-winter stable dressed up and ready to win at Wyong on Tuesday. Hall of Famer Quinton led in five winners from just 13 runners in May, three of them attributable to his Wyong -bound Are Ee Que. Quinton's first June winner Signor Tortoni earned the honour and distinction of becoming Quinton's 750th winner. Sydney's eight-times Premiership winning jockey and now six-times Group 1 -winning trainer can take his tally to 751 if and when the lightly-raced Fiery Lass can cash in in the Austbrokers 2YO Maiden Handicap (1350m). Bred by Gall Bloodstock – that's long-term Quinton client and friend Ray Gall – Fiery Lass showed significant improvement from her provincial debut to her second outing, that one at the midweeks. Last of 11 400m out from the winning post at Canterbury, Fiery Lass was warming to the task late, clocking in a diminishing three-and-a-quarter lengths behind the winner Pillow Fight. 'I thought she ran fair the other day but she needed to finish two lengths closer for me to be getting excited,'' Quinton said. 'But I will give her another run. It is only going to be a small field on Tuesday by the look of it. 'The wide draw won't matter to her, she'll probably settle back anyway. 'We'll know a bit more after (Tuesday) but a suitable for her if she is any good.' Fiery Lass is a daughter of William Reid Stakes winner Hellbent who stands alongside his illustrious father I Am Invincible (a Gall-owned racehorse back in the day) at the Mitchell's Yarraman Park Stud. 'I like Hellbent,'' Quinton said. 'I think they (his progeny) just need a fraction of time but I don't mind him at all. 'I wouldn't hesitate to buy one.' Fiery Lass boasts a pedigree so revered that she is destined to one day join Gall's elite broodmare band. Serious breeding buffs will need only to learn that Fiery Lass's sixth dam is the famed Almahmoud. Foaled in 1947, Almahmoud is the grand-dam of breed shaper Northern Dancer and the fourth dam of the incomparable, Danehill. Still on breeding, Quinton has shown himself to be a master of the art, having bred Mnemosyne whose wins for Jack and Bob Ingham included the MRC Thousand Guineas and STC Queen of the Turf Stakes. The Wyong-bound Are Ee Que is another Quinton design. Quinton trained her dam Skein whose short, sharp racing career boasted a barnstorming last to first win at Canterbury. Daughter Are Ee Que's racing pattern couldn't be more different; she's fast from beginning to end – so much so that the daughter of Sidestep has led throughout to win three of her last four starts, all perfectly executed by jockey Madeline Owen. 'Are Ee Que is in good form,'' Quinton began. 'She's been lucky because she's had all these wet tracks which has helped her so much. 'We're hoping she'll run well again (but) there's a pretty big rap on Kris Lees ' horse (Flame Of Hestia) so we'll see what happens. 'Barrier 4 won't be any harm to Are Ee Que. She's not hard to ride, you've just got to rate her a bit and Madeline's been doing that well.' â– â– â– â– â– Minervini chasing more BOBS riches Former South Australian-based trainer Mark Minervini is intent on collecting as much extra cash as he can courtesy of his adopted state's BOBS incentive before the season ends. The one-time master of Morphettville, now a firmly ensconced Novocastrian, Minervini heads to Port Macquarie on Tuesday with BOBS eligible stablemates Mirai San and Tickle Me Pink. Supido gelding Mirai San is sure to have his share of admirers, Minervini being one, when he makes his debut in today's Coolcene Air Conditioning Maiden Plate (1006m) after back to back seconds in his June trials. 'He's had two trials and he trialled well both times,'' Minervini said. 'We're going there anticipating him to run really well. 'He is very athletic and quite sharp, I think the 1000m will be perfect for him. He's drawn well and he's got Luke Rolls to guide him.' Mirai San is a son of former rocket Supido. His grand-dam is Princesa who won the VRC Straight Six and would go on to deliver stakeswinners Star of Giselle and Solicit. Stablemate Tickle Me Pink earned the dubious honour of 'certainty beaten' when she clocked in second to last at Muswellbrook on June 13 when sent out a red-hot $1.85 favourite. 'Wherever she went, she ran into dead-ends,'' Minervini said. 'All things being equal, I really thought she would have won and won easily and I don't often say that after the race. 'She's drawn well on Monday so I would say you might find her in the first two or three, we'll keep her out of trouble. 'I think she is quite a smart filly.' Both of Minervini's Port Macquarie participants will be ridden by Luke Rolls who has built an incredibly successful relationship with Vormista's old trainer. There winning strike-rate going into Monday stands at an enviable 22.7 per cent which increased to 36.4 per cent when placings are added. Minervini meanwhile has paid homage to his one-time 'banner horse' Quick Tempo upon his retirement this week. A winner of more than $500,000, Quick Tempo's premium performances include placings in the Ortensia, Warra and Maurice McCarten Stakes. 'He was fantastic for my stable,'' Minervini says. 'Just after we lobbed up here, he was the flag-bearer for quite a while; I owe him a lot,'' Minervini says. 'We found a great 'forever home' for him. He'll be a pleasure horse for a girl who works for Kris Lees, she always liked him and always wanted him so she's taken him on.'
