Racing: Thrilling trial augurs well for Jubilee

SYDNEY - Top New Zealand filly Mi Jubilee scorched over the Rosehill track in a trial yesterday but will most likely not run in Saturday's San Domenico Stakes.

Mi Jubilee thrilled Wanganui trainer Stephen Crutchley in winning her heat at the Rosehill trials, her first serious run in Australia.

She ran 900m in the fast time of 54.34 seconds, beating highly regarded Sydney mares Johan's Toy, One In A Million and Wild Iris, among others.

Crutchley told NZPA: "She won it by 1 1/2 lengths and went extra well. She needed the run and she will benefit from it a heap.

"It was amazing. The speed was on early, they took her on early but she just sprinted away."

Crutchley said Mi Jubilee had settled in so well in Sydney that he wanted her to have a strong run yesterday.

He was fairly confident she wouldn't start in the San Domenico over 1000m at Randwick, because she would probably be topweight with 56.5kg.

"I think it is too much for her first-up, especially against the colts," he said.

"The track at Randwick is said to be fairly hard and I don't really want to have a hard run so soon because I know she will try hard."

Crutchley will instead aim Mi Jubilee at the Princess series, starting with the Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Warwick Farm on August 20 and culminating in the group one Flight Stakes (1600m) on October 1.

Larry Cassidy, who told Crutchley he was impressed with her trial, has been engaged for the series.

Mi Jubilee has won four of her nine starts, including the group one Sires' Produce Stakes at Ellerslie, in which she defeated Darci Brahma who has since won the group one T J Smith Classic at Eagle Farm.

In another heat for 3-year-old fillies, AAP reportedthat Sydney's best 2-year-old filly of last season, Fashions Afield, recorded 54.27secs while the star-studded first heat over 1030m was won by Flight Stakes winner Lotteria from stablemate Blizzardly with Sydney Cup winner Mahtoum third.

Star performer Grand Armee was not asked to do much in the same trial.

- NZPA