Racing: Classy fillies yet to go distance

Chop Chop won at Trentham last start like a horse destined for more distance. Photo / Trish Dunell

Put down today's $100,000 Cambridge Stud Sir Tristram Fillies Classic at Te Rapa as a crossroads race.

It often tells us a lot. Like which of the top class fillies are heading to the Oaks at the same time pointing out which are the ones who are simply short on stamina for the longer distances.

Last year Fix won the Classic and went on to chase Habibi home in the Derby at Ellerslie. Soriano finished second, but then failed in the Derby and again in the Oaks.

Sneaking into third behind Fix at long odds was the then little known More Than Sacred, who indicated true staying potential that day. That was confirmed when she went on to take the 2100m Sunline Vase and the Oaks at Trentham.

Zurella won the Classic in 2012 and was then beaten a lip in the Oaks by her stablemate Artistic.

Today's Classic gives few hints as to which of the fillies will stay a middle distance trip. Three of the four favourites, Spellbinder, Hera and Chop Chop have yet to be tried beyond 1600m and Royal Dominance has had one start past 1600m when a good third to Rising Romance in the 2000m Royal Stakes at Ellerslie.

Trainer Jason Bridgman has an open mind on whether Spellbinder will stick on well at 2000m and beyond and has the classy filly in this race to test that in advance of a proposed Queensland campaign.

"I'd like to run her in the Oaks in Queensland, but I don't want to wait until I get there to discover whether she can stay or not," he says.

There may have been a hint that Spellbinder has at least a touch of stamina when she won the 1600m 3-year-old race on Karaka Million night.

That race was run in blinding rain and conditions were starting to become just a touch testing. Spellbinder and Hera came together in front at the 350m and Spellbinder worked away strongly to score by three lengths. Had that race been 2000m it's difficult to make a case Spellbinder would not still have won.

What will help Spellbinder is that she has become more settled and relaxed in running.

Hera was strong on the line in winning the 1600m Eight Carat Classic at Ellerslie on Boxing Day and although Spellbinder easily got her measure last start, Hera beat the others just as easily.

Chop Chop has been brought along quietly by Shaune Ritchie. She won her 1600m R65 race at Trentham last start like a horse destined for more distance, being slow away and storming to the front in the home straight. Because this will be the first time she will be pressured at the top level it is difficult to get a line on her against the likes of Spellbinder. Despite that she has a look of class about her.

Royal Dominance, Miss Mossman and The Fire Inside are fillies of real promise.