Alizee heads team with high Spring aspirations

The task of establishing the priorities among a talented stable of three-year-olds continues at Randwick on Saturday where Alizee heads a team that has high Spring aspirations.

A half-sister by Sepoy to the outstanding Godolphin colt Astern, Alizee runs in the G2 Tea Rose Stakes, a race that is hoped to determine whether she is something more than a pure speed filly.

She is accompanied into the same race by Regimen while the colts, Malahat, Marsupial and Viridine run in the Listed Heritage Stakes on the same programme.

Alizee (Glyn Schofield) has been only a breath behind some high-class fillies at her two runs in stakes grade since winning her maiden.

“We’re trying her over 1400m here and we’re yet to be convinced that she’ll run it out strongly, but in her training at home she’s giving the indication that she will,” said trainer James Cummings.

“Either way, it’s not hurting her, she’s thriving, enjoying her work and she’s getting that bit better at the races every time from what I can see of her attitude.”

Stablemate Regimen (Brenton Avdulla), also a daughter of Sepoy, makes the step up to Stakes grade after winning her first two and then finishing second last time out against older opposition.

“Back against the fillies she’s not without a hope,” Cummings said. 

“She’s strong, she’s got pent-up energy from her last start where she never got a crack at them.”

In contrast, fellow three-year-old Malahat (Hugh Bowman) comes to the Heritage Stakes having beaten older horses at his last appearance, making him one of the leading prospects on Saturday.

“It’s not easy to do what he did last start, and he did it in style showing a lot of strength at both ends of the race,” Cummings said of the son of Exceed And Excel.

“He comes back half-a-furlong in distance, but that shouldn’t present any problems because he’s got plenty of natural speed.”

Viridine, a son of Poet’s Voice, is a late-maturing colt who has shown the benefit of a patient approach with wins at his only two starts.

“He has the opportunity to take it to another level. His two trials have been solid, he looks a little bit soft but it’s only 1100m here and he could be running a big race. 

“He’ll be one of the picks of the yard and will hopefully run accordingly.”