All in order for Alizee’s Randwick return

A “perfect opportunity” for Alizee to add another Stakes victory to her impressive record has been laid out in the G2 Light Fingers Stakes at Randwick on Saturday, 17 February.

Already the winner of the G2 Tea Rose Stakes and the G1 Flight Stakes, Alizee (Glyn Schofield) resumes on Saturday with full stable confidence backing her own considerable ability.

The filly, who is a half-sister to the G1 winning sprinter and Darley stallion Astern and the first G1 winner for her sire Sepoy, also goes into her latest engagement on the back of Stakes victories last weekend by her stablemates Hartnell and Kementari.

“This is the perfect opportunity for Alizee to be returning to the track where she has a terrific record,” said trainer James Cummings.

“She’s a terrific filly, she is very well treated at the weights and I feel she has improved a bit since the spring.

“The Light Fingers is going to be a strong race with quite a big field, which is great because it gives an emerging filly the chance to come along.

“But I’m sure they’re going to need to be pretty strong if they’re going to be matching motors with Alizee.”

Most prominent among Alizee’s opponents are the well-performed Frolic who was second in last year’s G1 Golden Slipper and the New Zealand filly Melody Belle, winner of the G2 Queensland Sires Produce Stakes last winter and a G3 winner last time out.

Alizee completed her spring campaign last October with a third placing in the G1 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield behind Aloisia and Shoals and has had a recent trial to bring her to the level Cummings requires.

“I’ve only given her one barrier trial because I know I need to leave improvement there for the rest of her preparation,” Cummings said.

“She did it comfortably and has continued to train on well.”

That trial was behind the G1 Everest winner Redzel with Alizee held together to finish second, three lengths from the winner.

The Godolphin team has a range of G1 options for Alizee’s autumn campaign with the Surround Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday, 3 March, the Coolmore Classic on  Saturday, 17 March and the Queen Of The Turf Stakes at Randwick two weeks later all among the possibilities.