3 minute read

Expectations are high for Go Indy Go after she stormed to victory in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.

The Leon Macdonald-trained Go Indy Go arrived in Sydney off a clinical success in the Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Morphettville Parks a fortnight earlier.

While not a noted form line into the Group 1 Champagne Stakes, the relative ease of Go Indy Go’s success did see the filly attract her fair share of support for the mile juvenile feature at Randwick last Saturday.

Jockey Chad Schofield settled the filly back in the field, eighth and one off the fence.

Always travelling well for the young rider, Go Indy Go peeled out wider turning for home and soon after showcased her electric turn of foot.

Go Indy Go made quick headway on the early leaders, striking the front 100m from home before drawing clear for a one length win.

Zululand and Kumaon were left in her wake while race favourite Peggy Jean after towing Go Indy Go into the race could only manage fifth.

From running second on debut in the Cinderella Stakes (1050m) at Morphettville, Go Indy Go has gone from strength to strength with her maiden Group 1 victory yielding a Timeform figure of 116+.

The effort sits an impressive 14 pounds clear of her prior win in the Sires’ Produce Stakes.

Go Indy Go’s Champagne Stakes win does sit well below the previous five-year winning average of the event.

Pierro claimed the two-year-old Triple Crown when taking out the 2012 Champagne Stakes while Helmet, Skilled and Onemorenomore also confirmed themselves stallion careers with highly rated performances during that period.

The Gai Waterhouse-trained Pierro of course was the pick of them, subsequently adding a further two Group 1 victories to his tally plus minor placings in the Caulfield Guineas, Cox Plate and the 2013 Doncaster.

The overall strength of this year’s two-year-old crop appears questionable at best with Go Indy Go’s latest master rating three pounds shy of Earthquake, Mossfun and Rubick who share the honours for this season at present.

With feature racing now heading north to Queensland, it is unlikely a youngster will come out of the pack and knock them off the top rung.

Trainer Leon Macdonald post race declared Go Indy Go as potentially the best he has ever trained.

Expectations for the Bernardini filly will be high as she enters the spring with the VRC Oaks already being labelled as her main goal.