Yankee Rose to blossom fresh

A formula for success.

Yankee Rose was the ‘come from the clouds’ horse of the Sydney autumn, winning the Group 1 Sires' Produce second-up, after placing in the Golden Slipper.

All the recent talk has been about a Cox Plate tilt and a crack at Winx in the spring, but as syndicator Scott Darby reveals, the filly’s second-up run this time around is also the main focus.

“Like the Sires Produce last campaign, the one Dave’s (trainer David Vandyke) really focused on is the second-up run in the Flight Stakes over the mile,” Darby told G1X.com.au.

“That looks her race. I think he sees that as the most realistic Group 1 for her.”

Yankee Rose’s return to competitive racing will almost certainly to be in the G1 Golden Rose over 1400m (September 10). Darby says Vandyke is confident he can have her at optimal fitness first-up, just like he did in the Golden Slipper.

“The first two races are the main two targets. The Cox Plate will depend on how she performs in those,” he said.

“All going well, we’ll head to the Oaks after that. We’ve always thought she’s a filly who’s going to appreciate the extra ground.”

The daughter of All American completed the first of three trials at the Sunshine Coast on Tuesday morning, finishing fourth over the 850m.

“She was there to just to blow the cobwebs out, follow them around five wide on the best part of the track,” Darby said.

“Physically she’s stronger, she’s not much taller, but she has grown into her frame and her feet have improved out of sight.

“Her next trial is in two weeks from today at the Sunshine Coast, and after that it’ll depend on whether Dave wants to bring her down to Sydney for the third one.”

Fellow Darby filly Scarlet Rain finished third behind Capitalist and El Divino in a trial over 850m at Randwick on Friday, but looks unlikely to face the pair again over the spring.

“If her fitness levels are right she’ll go into the Silver Shadow. She’ll stick to the fillies races as the colts look pretty smart,” Darby said.

“She’ll trial again next Tuesday at Randwick. She needed last Friday’s hit-out big time but she’s pretty big in condition according to (co-trainer) Gai (Waterhouse).

“She had some minor breathing issues in the autumn, she choked down when she came last in the Golden Slipper, but Gai and Adrian have made some gear changes and it seems to have done the trick.”