Autridge set to have strong Oaks hand
Stephen Autridge is in the enviable position of having a pair of well-performed three-year-olds in his stable and, if all goes to plan, they will give him a strong hand in the autumn fillies’ feature at Trentham.
The Matamata trainer has Livid Sky and Still Bangon tracking toward the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) on March 16 and he has confidence in their ability to see out the trip.
“I think they will both run the mile and a-half and after Ellerslie (last Sunday), a few fillies stepped up and a few didn’t and may not be going to the Oaks, so it could be a bit wider open,” Autridge said.
To continue her preparation, Livid Sky will head south this week for a crack at Saturday’s Listed Oaks Prelude (1800m) at New Plymouth with the booking of Craig Grylls another plus for the daughter of Proisir.
“She’s come a long way after a few problems with her in the early days, she was immature,” Autridge said.
“Mentally and physically, she has turned the corner and we keep her to a set pattern. We don’t change anything because she doesn’t like change and she handles everything well now.”
Livid Sky broke her maiden in the spring and in her last three appearances has matched up encouragingly in strong age group company.
The filly finished third in the Group 3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m), fourth in the Group 2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m) and then made a good fist of her middle-distance debut when third in the Group 2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2050m).
“It was a good run last start and I think she is going to continue improving,” Autridge said.
“She’s the first Proisir I’ve had and she has come on in leaps and bounds and, looking at the sale results, everyone else wants one so it’s good to have her.”
Safely through the weekend, Livid Sky is likely to have one more outing before the Oaks while stablemate Still Bangon will target Saturday week’s Group 2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic (2000m) ahead of her Trentham grand final.
“She will go around at Te Rapa and she has been going terrific,” Autridge said.
Still Bangon has won twice from nine appearances and is another to have shed her maiden status before quickly proving her quality in stakes company.
The daughter of Proisir’s hot stallion associate Satono Aladdin triumphed in the Group 3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) and then came from last to finish third in the Sir Patrick Hogan.