By Duane Ranger.
Chris Garlick is not getting too carried away with unbeaten filly, American Flybye, after she justified her $1.20 favouritism at Cambridge Raceway last night (Thursday).
After winning at Cambridge and Manawatu Raceways on September 25 and April 14, American Flybye made it three straight in the $7,600 Staples Rodway Tauranga C1-C3 pace for the fillies and mares.
“You can’t do any more than win but it’s early days yet. She has a lot of high speed and a wee bit of bottom to her.
“She hasn’t beaten much yet and if she is going to step up to the really good 3-year-old fillies later in the season then she is going to have to show more stamina to foot it with them.
“She’s going to have to go a 1:56 mile rate rather than the 1:59.7 she went last night,” said Garlick who co-trains American Flybye with Steve Telfer at Ardmore.
But the talented chestnut was all class last night and never really gave her favourite punters any cause for concern.
Driver Scott Phelan held off an early-race challenge from Kilkeel lady and Sailesh Abernethy early in the 1700m mobile.
That was the only time she looked like being headed. But Phelan knew what he had in front of him and easily held the lead for the rest of the race.
They had to work a little bit in the home straight but were always too strong beating Shardon’s Sheralee (Todd Mitchell) and Christy Maguire (Maurice McKendry).
The daughter of Tintin In America stopped the clock in 2:06.5 with final 800m and 400m sprints of 59.7 and 28.3. She is owned and was bred by Hawera farmers Ivan and Joyce Bublitz.
“Last night’s win wasn’t as easy as her first race for the season here last month but she did show a bit of fight and at the end she did it quite comfortably.
“I’d like to think she can go on with it, but it’s early days yet. We will give her a few more runs just to see where she is at and then possibly tip her out,” said Garlick.
If she keeps on improving her immediate target will be the $75,000 Group Two Peter Breckon Memorial Ladyship Stake sat Alexandra Park on December 18.
American Flybye is the fourth of five foals out of the two-win Caprock mare, Cathy’s Flybye. Older sister Ideal Flybye has won nine races and more than $56,000 for the Telfer/Garlick/Bublitz combo.
American Flybye was the only horse to record a sub two minute mile rate.
The Logan Hollis and Shane Robertson trained Stars And Sound (Scott Phelan) won the feature pace with a 2:02.6 mile rate, while the Ray Green trained Designer Arden (2:01.1) also impressed in the third event.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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