Whyouask will carry the lightest weight of her career in a late-season fillies race at Flemington and it’s a factor her trainer Matt Laurie is banking on.
Laurie thought enough of the filly to test her three times in stakes company last spring and Whyouask has returned this winter with a fast-finishing second at a Mornington metropolitan meeting before claiming a midweek city win over 1300m at Sandown.
Laurie pinpointed Saturday’s Domain Plate, a 1400m handicap for fillies, as Whyouask’s next test and believes she is up for the challenge, especially dropping to 52.5kg after carrying 60kg in fillies’ benchmark-64 grade at Sandown.
“I think the key thing for her in this run is she will be dropping significantly in weight,” Laurie said.
“She won a pretty good fillies race at Sandown, came from well back and ran over the top of them with 60 kilos.
“She’s dropping down to 52-1/2 kilos with Ben Thompson’s claim and we’re still able to retain the same rider.
“I think it’s a huge plus for us.”
Whyouask has a habit of leaving the gates slowly and taking some riding early in the race to keep in striking distance.
Laurie is reapplying blinkers to Whyouask for the first time this campaign, and while he is concerned they might exaggerate her slow getaways, he believes they can help her at the finish.
“She has raced a lot in blinkers before,” he said.
“I decided to start this preparation off without them and she’s obviously run really well but I’m hoping that it could just give her a bit more focus at the pointy end of the race.”
Whyouask contested the Edward Manifold Stakes, Ethereal Stakes at Wakeful Stakes last spring and despite finishing out of the placings, measured up well enough for Laurie to expect she would make her presence felt at this time of year.
“So far that’s been proven and hopefully she’ll take that next step,” he said.