Shepherdson takes aim at G2 Sandown Guineas

Trainer Mick Shepherdson has high hopes for My Zephyr and one way to find out about the filly’s ability is to throw her into the deep end.

My Zephyr is jumping straight from victory in a Donald maiden to the Group 2 Sandown Guineas (1600m) on Saturday, looking to continue the successful run of fillies in the race in recent years.

Pretty Brazen (2019), See You In Heaven (2022) and Serasana (2023) have been taken the race for fillies while My Zephyr will be joined by Snitzanana as the two girls tackling nine colts and geldings in Saturday’s contest.

“She’s up in class but you are only three once and the Sandown Guineas has been a good race for fillies in recent years,” Shepherdson said.

“I was working at Tony McEvoy’s when Pretty Brazen won.

“This filly has definitely got another run under her belt, so running her on Saturday might just season her for the autumn when she’ll be running against better company.”

Shepherdson takes plenty of heart from his filly’s effort when resuming last month with a placing behind Vestas at Cranbourne with that filly going on to place in a Stakes race at Flemington during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

And a post-race discussion with McEvoy after the filly’s Donald victory also has him thinking of grander plans for the future.

“It’s ambitious placement but we take a bit of comfort from Vestas running against her a couple of starts ago,” Shepherdson said.

“Vestas then should have won at Flemington on Oaks Day and then she was tough the other day to win her maiden.

“She was between runners and held her ground. Jake Noonan only put a couple behind her tail, and she won the race hands and heels.

“With a big, strong gelding to her outside she held them quite well. Tony rang me straight after the race and said to me that he really likes his horse, so that gives me confidence too.

“That was 1350 metres last start but the more we watch the replay, we feel that she’ll enjoy 1600 metres, and we trained the brother, Ghetto Supastar, who won over 1600 metres and even further.

“It’s a throw at the stumps but I feel it’s worth the try.”

Saturday’s performance will give Shepherdson some idea as to where autumn ambitions may lie.

Shepherdson said the Adelaide Carnival made appeal.

“You’ve got all those lead-ups in Adelaide in the autumn, so that’s why I’d like to attack the mile now and it will give us an idea how to plan her next preparation,” Shepherdson said.

“This time of year, giving them a month off is almost like giving them six weeks, they blossom.

“Melbourne will likely come up too soon in the autumn, so we’ll concentrate on Adelaide.”