High Above Begins Oaks Campaign At Farm
- Thursday, 26 February 2015 07:05
Spring formlines behind two of Sydney's best three-year-olds suggest High Above might be the horse to turn around a tough season for Anthony Cummings.
Cummings assembled a promising team for last year's spring carnival, only to have his plans derailed by a virus that swept through his stable.
High Above was one of the horses earmarked for major races but she succumbed a day before she was due to contest the Thousand Guineas and was spelled.
She returns in the Surround Stakes at Warwick Farm on Saturday, the first race in a campaign geared towards the Group One ATC Australian Oaks.
A daughter of High Chaparral out of a Zabeel mare, the Oaks certainly appeals as the right autumn race on pedigree although the stable representative Edward Cummings feels she has her share of speed as well.
"She's a filly we think highly of although she will probably need the run on Saturday," he said.
"We think she is a genuine miler at that sort of level and also capable of staying a trip as a three-year-old."
High Above finished third to subsequent Group One winner and Saturday's Surround favourite First Seal on debut at Randwick in August.
She won her next start in a midweek race at Warwick Farm by five lengths before finishing fifth to Godolphin colt Sweynesse in the Spring Stakes at Newcastle.
The filly is one of three Warwick Farm runners for Cummings who will also saddle up Fiveandahalfstar as the stayer continues a comeback from injury in the Group One Chipping Norton Stakes.
Outsider Aomen will represent the stable in the Liverpool City Cup.
