Tupakara ready to go in the 2025 Flight Stakes

Connections of Tupakara didn’t celebrate her silverware from the Tea Rose Stakes for long, feeling the Group Two third came up short of expectations.

The filly was a dominant elect after rattling home into second behind Apocalyptic first-up, but when asked to sit handier last time, she stuck to the task for third—two lengths off the same rival.

Co-trainer Annabel Archibald first thought the closer map was the undoing, before the sectionals told a different story.

“My initial thought was that but the winner was three-wide outside us covering ground and they went a second slower than standard to the corner,” Archibald said.

“It’s all well and good saying, ‘ride her quieter’ but when it’s a slow tempo, it’s probably more so just a flat second-up run.

“But we won’t be bustling her out of the gates. We will just ride her where she’s happy.”

Attention now shifts to the Princess Series decider, the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday, where Apocalyptic awaits again.

Tupakara must navigate barrier 11, but she owns valuable course-and-distance experience courtesy of her third in the Champagne Stakes (1600m) at two, while her rival tackles the mile for the first time.

Archibald accepts a new peak is needed and is banking on the extra trip to help bridge the gap.

“They’ve all got a bit of improving to do to catch the favourite but she worked really well (on Tuesday) morning and she’s third-up,” Archibald said.

“She went very close in the Champagne as a two-year-old so we know the mile here suits and she is rock-hard fit.”

“The favourite looks very smart but they’re three-year-old fillies. They are all fairly lightly raced and anything can happen.”

Stablemate Next Jen bypasses the Flight for the Listed Dulcify Quality (1600m), gaining a softer draw and first-time blinkers.

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