Consistent Georgie's Pride Takes Stakes Leap

With five wins from six starts this campaign alone, the Desleigh Foster-trained Georgie's Pride (Better Than Ready-She Can Command, by Commands) will step up to stakes class on Saturday for the first time, contesting the Listed Queensland Day Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm. The stable is in great form, headlined by last weekend's Gr3 Fred Best Classic winner Apache Chase who, like Georgie's Pride, is a 3YO by Lyndhurst Stud's Better Than Ready (More Than Ready). A $36,000 purchase from the 2019 Magic Millions March Yearling Sale from the draft of Raheen Stud, Georgie's Pride has earned connections just shy of $300,000 from her 11 starts. Saturday's race sees the filly current favourite just ahead of the Michael Nolan-trained Kisukano (Bel Esprit-Kiss For Gran, by Show A Heart), who has been in solid form of late, finishing third two starts back in the Gr3 Gold Coast Guineas, beaten just over a length before winning over 1110m at Doomben last start. An interesting runner who is also chasing his first stakes success is the Tony Gollan-trained Setanta (Fastnet Rock-Legally Bay, by Snippets), a last start fourth to Georgie's Pride. Purchased for $2.3m at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, the full-brother to dual Group 1 winner and Coolmore sire Merchant Navy started his career in the care of the Maher/Eustace stable before heading to the Queensland stable of Gollan. He met with immediate success, winning his first start for the stable before his last start fourth.