Gold Coast trainers Tony and Maddy Sears will be hoping talented filly Nightline can provide them with back-to-back winners of the Gr.3 Grand Prix Stakes (1800m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
The father-daughter training combination won last year’s Grand Prix Stakes with Beau Dazzler, who went on to win the Eagle Way (2100m) and returned to place in the Gr.2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) before an unplaced tilt at the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m).
Like Beau Dazzler, Nightline was sourced from the Karaka Sales. The New Zealand bred daughter of Redwood enters Saturday’s contest off the back of a hard-fought victory over race favourite John Dory in the City to Surf 3YO (1600m) at Doomben last start.
On that occasion Nightline was friendless in betting, sent out a $41 outsider, but got the better of John Dory in the closing stages, with the pair set to clash again this weekend.
“She did everything that we thought she would,” Maddy Sears said.
“We were a bit wary of the favourite with the form that he brought up from New South Wales, but she has always shown a lot and she's very talented.
“We thought stepping out to the mile would be very beneficial, and so it proved.”
Sears compared Nightline favourably to Beau Dazzler.
“They are very different horses, but I do believe she's very talented,” she said. “Without knocking the other horse, I think she's a lot better horse than Beau Dazzler at this point in their career.
“She's just a lot more tractable. She's very professional, and I do believe she's improved since that last outing based on her work leading into Saturday.”
Drawn barrier 11, Sears is not concerned by the wide draw.
“There's going to be a couple in it that will naturally be going forward. If she's just sitting fourth or fifth one-off or even if she's a little bit further back than that, I don't think it's going to be a problem,” Sears said.
Like Beau Dazzler, a classic target will be in the crosshairs, with the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) in June to be the favoured option.
However the Sears haven’t ruled out a trip across the Tasman, with the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld New Zealand Oaks (2400m) worth NZ$1 million and contested at Ellerslie on February 21.
“We have spoken about possibly taking her back for the New Zealand Oaks. We're just taking it race by race at the moment, we will see how she comes through this weekend, and then go from there,” Sears said.
“The main goal with her at the moment is the Queensland Oaks, but we do have the New Zealand Oaks as an option, and we have spoken about it.” – NZ Racing Desk
