Three add quality to Winton card

Bruce Stewart Journalist

Chicago Sky (Bettor’s Delight), Stumblin In (Always B Miki) and Miki’s Deal (Always B Miki) are three quality runners with very good credentials, and they make their return to the racetrack tomorrow at Winton.

Chicago Sky last raced in the G1 New Zealand Pacing Oaks at Addington in November, running a cracking third behind Arafura and Princess Gracy.

Trained by John and Katrina Price, the four year old mare has been to one workout in preparation for Thursday’s heat of the Vet South Equine Southern Belle Speed Series.

“I drove her and I thought she went pretty good. She’s grown up a bit and filled out and seems to be a bit more competitive after her trip to Addington,” John said.

Chicago Sky draws barrier two.

“She’s got gate speed and can go forward if she wants, I’ll leave it up to Brent Barclay. But it is a nice draw for her.”

Price says the four year old mare has a good fresh up record.

“She won first up as a two year old and ran second fresh up at three. She’s a very clean winded filly so we expect her to go pretty well.”

Stumblin In, trained at Yaldhurst by Regan Todd, was last seen running in a heat of the Sires’ Stakes in September where he finished fourth behind smart types in Jumal, Zeus Lightning and Special Occasion.

“We thought a bit of him last time. We chucked him amongst the big guns but he was coming to the end of it and needing to spell,” Todd said.

Todd has taken him to two trials this preparation. In his first he wasn’t extended and finished fourth, while in the second trial he led all the way to beat Queen Lizzy by a length and a quarter.

“He’s had a nice prep. The first trial was a nice quiet one.”

Stumblin In starts in the first heat of the Alabar Southern Supremacy Stakes.

“We thought this would be a good series for him to target.”

The three year old draws the outside of the front row in a small field of six.

“He can run the gate if we have to. I’ll just leave that up to the gun driver.”

Three year old filly Miki’s Deal, after winning two group features in the middle of last season, then took on richer company. She last raced in the Dunstan Sires’ Stakes Two Year Old Fillies Final at Addington in November.

“She wasn’t going bad. She was just drawing bad and it’s so hard to get into those 1980 metre races. She went through a bit of a lull and the others probably caught up with her a bit,” trainer Brett Gray said.

This prep Miki’s Deal has had just one workout.

“I’m really happy with her but she hasn’t really shown any gate speed so hopefully she can.”

She starts in the Apex Valves Mobile Pace.