Pandemonium on Flight Stakes path after dominant win

Tom Baddock - Wednesday Aug 23

Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have Group I aspirations for Pandemonium after the filly made it two wins on the trot in the TAB Benchmark 70 Handicap (1600m) at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.

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Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. Photo: Steve Hart

The daughter of Sebring landed in front for Rachel King and travelled boldly in the lead.

The three-year-old gave no other horse a chance, scooting to a four-length lead into the straight before easing down for a comfortable 1-1/4 length win over Chris Waller's Augustus ($7), with a further 2-1/4 lengths back to Tim Martin's Pride of Darci ($4.60).

The win came as no surprise to punters, supporting Pandemonium into a clear $1.95 favourite by start time.

"It was great to see her step up a notch today, she's beat the boys again and I think there is nice improvement for her going forward," Adrian Bott said.

"We mentioned a couple of nice targets for her and I think we can work towards those now.

"I think we'll drop back to the fillies grade now and go through a race like the Tea Rose into the Flight Stakes."

Despite only breaking her maiden at Kembla last start, the stable thought enough of the filly to send her to Melbourne as a two-year-old to contest the Group II Blue Diamond Prelude and the Listed Talindert Stakes.

"We always have liked her," Bott said. "She's filled out now, matured a lot and strengthened into her frame.

"I think now she can get up over her ideal distance being the mile and we'll see better things to come from her.

"I think the win last start really switched her on."

Jockey Rachel King, who has had a long association with Pandemonium, believes she is a horse that can keep raising the bar.

"She keeps improving at every start and she was better again today," King said.

"She bowled along nicely up front, there was a little bit of pressure early but then she was able to settle and go in her own rhythm and she finished off really strongly.

"I think she can get even further, definitely."

Pandemonium will next step out on September 16 for the Group II Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) in lead-up to the Group I Flight Stakes (1600m) on September 30.

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