“Sabatini serves up another Group win”
Sabatini will seek to become the first Group I winning female in Australia for her sire Street Cry following her first-up success in Saturday’s Group III Kevin Hayes Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
Coming through to split longtime leader Royal Snitzel and Fontein Ruby in the home straight, Sabatini ($10) drew away under Nicholas Hall to defeat Royal Snitzel ($2 fav) by three-quarters of a length with Fontein Ruby ($13) a nose away third.
Street Cry’s best runner is champion mare Zenyatta and in Australia his three Group I winners are all males however Shannon Hope, who trains Sabatini in partnership with father Lee, is looking to rectify that with Group I aims for Sabatini this preparation.
“Nothing is set in concrete. She’s in the Guineas (Australian) but we’ll get over today first,” Hope said.
“We drew the gun barrier and she got the nice suck up behind them. She’s got a lot of improvement in her.
“She’s very tough and thrives on racing.”
Mentioning the Angus Armanaso Stakes as a possible next race, Hope is also looking further ahead to Group I races in Sydney.
“She’s in the Coolmore (Classic) and the Queen of the Turf and I think she will get a trip and she can only improve off today.” Hope said.
This is the second Group success for Sabatini, winner of three of her seven starts with earnings of $165,025.