By Glenn Davis
A significant weight drop has given Team Edmonds the added confidence of winning the Listed Doomben Guineas on Saturday with promising filly Vanna Girl.
Vanna Girl lumped 60kgs to victory over 1400 metres at the Gold Coast on April 21 and drops 5kgs to 55kgs when the filly steps up in distance to 1615 metres in the Doomben feature.
Trent Edmonds, who trains in partnership with his father Toby, is keen to keep Vanna Girl against her age and sex ahead of her main mission in the Group 2 The Roses over 1800 metres at Eagle Farm on June 13.
The Edmonds stable had planned to target the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2400m) with Vanna Girl this year before the race was scrapped due to the COVID-19 disruptions.
Vanna Girl was a $40,000 yearling buy at the Inglis Classic sales in Sydney and has already won more than $154,000 in prizemoney with four wins and two placings from seven starts.
“She’s going great but from barrier two she’ll need to get some luck to get out at the right time so she can wind up,” Edmonds said.
“It’s a very hard race but I’ll be surprised if she’s not in the finish.
“It was a huge win at the Gold Coast with 60kgs when they jogged up front and she drops five kilos in this.”
Edmonds will give Vanna Girl one more run in the inaugural Listed Pam O’Neill (1600m) at Doomben on May 30 before tackling The Roses.
“I don’t see the point taking on the boys in the Gunsynd or Rough Habit Plate as she’ll be better off racing against her own sex and age heading to The Roses,” Edmonds said.
“She’s a lovely relaxed filly and is bred to run an Oaks distance.”
Vanna Girl is a half-sister to Plucky Girl who won eight races for Edmonds.
The daughter of Husson is closely related to three-times Group 1 winner Naturalism and Crystal Palace who won the Group One Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm in 1997.
Edmonds rates the Chris Anderson-trained Profit and Ballistic Boy as well as Chris Waller’s Joliette as the main dangers to Vanna Girl.
Racing Queensland webnews - May 8