Miss Siska is set to race for the third consecutive weekend while facing a distance test in the Group Two Zipping Classic at Sandown.
The Grahame Begg-trained mare finished midfield in the Group One Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington last Saturday week before backing up seven days later, finishing a close second in the Group Two Matriarch Stakes (2000m) at the same track.
Begg says the mare has come through the Matriarch in “superb condition” which has paved the way for her to press on to Saturday’s weight-for-age Zipping Classic over 2400m.
It will be the first time the six-year-old, who will be having her 24th career start, has been tried beyond 2000m.
Miss Siska has finished second in the Matriarch Stakes for mares the past two years in her only attempts at 2000m.
“We have always wanted to get her out over a distance and I guess Saturday is a good opportunity to do that,” Begg said.
“Having had a couple of runs in the past two weeks the freshness will be off her and she certainly ran the 2000 metres out all right last week.
“It is a bit of an unknown but the owners were very keen to explore that possibility, to see if she has got another string to her bow.
“She is by So You Think, even though she has got a sprinting pedigree being a half-sister to Hay List.”
Hay List, by Statue Of Liberty, was a three-time Group One-winning sprinter.
The Zipping Classic is one of the features on Saturday’s Sandown program which comprises 10 stakes races.
Miss Siska, to be ridden by James Doyle, is one of 10 acceptors for the Zipping and was $21 in an early market on Wednesday.
Co-trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace have decided to accept for three runners, with multiple Group One winner Humidor and import Southern France sharing early favouritism at $3.70 while fellow stablemate Dal Harraild, who was second in the race 12 months ago, was $11.
Southern France finished 19th in last week’s Melbourne Cup in his first Australian start and was a late nomination for the Zipping.
Begg has three runners entered for the meeting, with last-start Tesio Stakes placegetter Vanuatu set for the Group Three Summoned Stakes while All Over Bosanova is scheduled to have her first start for her new stable in the Listed Doveton Stakes.
Article from JustHorseRacing.com.au