Plans Emerging For Ghisoni

Immediate Winter plans and longer-term Spring ambitions are both being examined by Godolphin's Australian team after the high-class filly Ghisoni trialled at Warwick Farm, on Monday, May 16.

Ghisoni finished a hard-held fourth in the 800m barrier trial in preparation for a Brisbane campaign that is likely to begin in the G3 Glenlogan Park Stud Stakes at Doomben on May 28.

"That was all we wanted to do today, a nice strong trial just to keep her up to the mark," said trainer John O'Shea.

"She's done well since her last run and we're looking forward to her coming back in the Glenlogan Park which gives us good options for the rest of her preparation."

Ghisoni's rider James McDonald echoed the trainer's view: "She gave me the feel of a very good filly, which we know she is. She could have done whatever I asked, but the track was showing some wear by the time she went around so we weren't out to do anything spectacular today."

The decision confronting the Godolphin team rests on whether to keep Ghisoni to races restricted to fillies, or to include the G1 Stradbroke Handicap.

Henry Plumptre, Managing Director Godolphin Australia said, "the Stradbroke is a tempting target for Ghisoni, but so is the G1 Tattersall's Tiara run at Eagle Farm on June 25.

"If Ghisoni is kept to fillies' events she is likely to follow the Glenglogan Park Stud Stakes with the G2 Dane Ripper Stakes at Eagle Farm on the same program as the Stradbroke at Eagle Farm on June 11.

"It might be a more suitable plan to stick to fillies' races, particularly when we take into account the races that are available to her in the Spring," Plumptre said.

"We have a forward eye on the Melbourne carnival and whatever decisions we take now will have that in mind."

Plumptre said Ghisoni's performances in Brisbane will also have a bearing on whether she remains at sprint distances in the Spring, or stretches out to a mile.

The Melbourne options include the G1 Myer Classic, an open fillies' race at 1600m (8 furlongs), or the G1 Darley Classic, an open sprint at 1200m (6 furlongs).

Ghisoni established herself as one the best sprinting fillies in training with wins at her first three starts, including the G2 Surround Stakes at Randwick in February.

At her last start she finished a luckless fifth to Japonisme in the G2 Arrowfield Stud Stakes at Randwick in April.