Pandemonium set to reign in Flight Stakes
Pandemonium is tipped to be on her best behaviour in Group One Flight Stakes.
Adrian Bott has likened Pandemonium to the most recent of Tulloch Lodge’s nine Flight Stakes winners as the filly tries to reignite her spring in the Group One race.
Pandemonium spoiled a winning sequence when she finished down the course in the Tea Rose Stakes, but Bott is adamant there were extenuating circumstances.
And Bott insists a favourable comparison with the stable’s 2016 winner Global Glamour gives Pandemonium a winning chance at Randwick.
“Their racing patterns are very similar, they’re both lovely big, solid sorts of fillies that run out a strong mile at Randwick,” he said.
Bott has fond memories of Global Glamour’s success because it was his first Group One win as a trainer after joining forces in a partnership with Gai Waterhouse.
The win was Waterhouse’s ninth in the race and she will chasing a hat-trick of victories in the three-year-old fillies feature after Speak Fondly scored in 2015.
For Waterhouse to claim her 10th, Pandemonium will need to mend her barrier manners after she missed the start and finished ninth in the Tea Rose.
But Bott said was prepared to forgive the filly for coming out slowly and he expects her to race on the speed on Saturday after leading in the Kembla Grange and Warwick Farm wins last month.
“They were kept in (the barriers) a little bit longer than standard and she just got a little bit anxious,” Bott said.
The Tea Rose is the recognised lead-up race to the Flight Stakes but at 1400m Bott said the distance was also against Pandemonium.
“We stepped her back at a point in her preparation where she was a little bit dour and that probably wasn’t suitable,” he said.
Pandemonium has been rated an $8 chance in the TAB’s early market on the Flight.
It’s a market that has the Tea Rose quinella of Azilee ($2.70) and Champagne Cuddles ($3.90) vying for favouritism.
Azilee came from midfield to sprint past Champagne Cuddles and the latter filly has subsequently strengthened the form.
On a seven-day back-up, Champagne Cuddles came from the rear of the field against her male rivals to finish second behind Trapeze Artist in last week’s Group One Golden Rose.