David Vandyke is confident a gear change and new riding tactics for Yankee Rose can help deliver another Group 1 victory for the adopted Queensland trainer in the Flight Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.
Vandyke is also hopeful Shamfrancisco and Emerald City will give him success at Doomben the same day.
Vandyke, who moved to the Sunshine Coast in July, will be in Sydney to saddle up Yankee Rose who claimed the Group 1 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes at Randwick in April.
Yankee Rose almost pulled off a coup for Vandyke when the filly beat all bar Capitalist in the world’s richest two-year-old race at Rosehill in her previous outing.
A hoof problem saw Yankee Rose miss the final leg of the two-year-old triple crown in the Champagne Stakes.
Yankee Rose has not been tested over 1600 metres but her performance in the Flight Stakes will determine whether she heads to Melbourne for the spring.
Vandyke said he did not expect Yankee Rose to win her first-up assignment in the Group 1 Golden Rose in which she finished sixth to Astern.
“It was a fair run in the Golden Rose but I had an open mind how she would go as she worked poorly going into the race,” Vandyke said.
“It’s a different story going into this race and I’m confident she can run in the first three.
“She’s going well and has improved since the Golden Rose and I’ve decided to take the blinkers off her and have her ridden with cover.
“I expect to see a better horse without the blinkers. She trialled without them last week and she went well.”
Vandyke will let Yankee Rose’s performance determine if she will proceed to the Group 1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley next month.
“We’re looking at the Cox Plate or the Ethereal Stakes but nothing is set in stone until we see how she goes in the Flight Stakes,” he said.
Vandyke will also be represented at Doomben with Emerald City in the Deppro Benchmark 75 Handicap (2200m) and Shamfrancisco in the Qld Accounting Group Class Six Plate (1200m).
Shamfranciso is ideally drawn and will be right on the pace. We want to win another Saturday race with her and this looks ideal,” he said.
“Emerald City was ridden off the pace and got to the lead too soon last start.
“He’ll be hitting the ling strongly if he’s got something to chase.”
– Racing Queensland
