Sigh to chase Black Type in Sir John Monash Stakes

An extra week between a Stakes race at Flemington and one at Caulfield is expected to play into the hands of lightly raced mare Sigh.

The Peter Moody-trained four-year-old was scratched from the Listed Santa Ana Lane Sprint Series Final (1200m) at Flemington last week to be saved for the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

Assistant trainer Katherine Coleman said the extra week between runs and the slightly shorter trip will suit Sigh as she attempts a third win in succession and remain unbeaten for the campaign.

But more important will be ‘Black Type’ for her future as a broodmare and a member of the ever-growing Yulong Stud band of mares.

Sigh was successful first-up at Flemington over 1100m on May 20 and returned to that track to score on June 17.

The mare has raced twice at Caulfield previously, finishing out of the money on each occasion.

The first of those was at the corresponding meeting last year in three-year-old filly’s grade and then again two weeks later, again in three-year-old filly’s company.

But Sigh came out to score a first-up at Sandown in December over 1000m before having her next three starts up the Flemington straight.

Coleman explained Sigh was kept for Saturday’s race as the stable also had Invincible Caviar and Dance To Dubai engaged at Flemington last week.

“We were hoping to split her and some of our other horses up and this looks a very nice option for her,” Coleman said.

“I don’t see racing around the corner being a problem as she’s obviously very effective up the straight.

“But we just felt the three weeks since her last run is better for her than the two weeks if we had of run her at Flemington last week off the two-week break.

“She’s a light, naturally athletic filly, so she doesn’t need much work, and I think the two weeks between runs would have been a bit of a question mark.

“We go into Saturday’s race very happy with her.”