Angelic Light Getting Ready For Return
- Sunday, 14 December 2014 07:06
Angelic Light has come agonisingly close to giving trainer Robbie Griffiths his first Group One win and the mission will continue.
The mare is back at Griffiths's stable ready to resume work for a preparation aimed at three races that may provide that elusive victory at the elite level.
Melbourne and Adelaide are lock-ins and Griffiths says there is a chance the mare may head to Sydney for The Championships.
After being narrowly beaten by Lankan Rupee in the Manikato Stakes on October 24, Angelic Light headed to Perth for the Winterbottom Stakes in which she finished fifth behind Magnifisio on a firm track.
Angelic Light showed her quality as a three-year-old with a Listed victory in the Crockett Stakes and a second to Group One winner Norzita in the Typhoon Tracy.
She was sidelined for more than a year with a tendon injury after her second to Platelet in the 2013 Group One Robert Sangster in Adelaide, a race again on her program.
"Since the injury her four runs have been at Moonee Valley as it just happened the races were there and she likes the Valley," Griffiths said.
"We've gone to Perth with that good form and what we didn't take into consideration was the Perth track conditions.
"Not that it was badly prepared. She looked the winner and just lost her action.
"We are confident in thinking that she just didn't handle the harder surface."
The Group One William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on March 27 is one of the three definite targets along with the Sangster (1200m) on April 25 and the Goodwood (1200m) on May 9.
Griffiths said depending on how she went in the William Reid and whether the likes of Terravista and Chautauqua were in form, the TJ Smith in Sydney before the Sangster could be considered.
"The three key races we want to look at are the William Reid, the Sangster and the Goodwood," Griffiths said.
"Sydney is worth so much money so we have to have a look at it as well.
"We'll certainly be nominating for that and just see how her form is and we have to remember last year the TJ Smith was run on rain affected ground.
"If we can snag one we would be happy."
