Annabel Neasham eyes interstate Group 1 raid with Learning To Fly after The Championships

Learning To Fly will attempt to add another black-type win to her record at Randwick on Saturday before an interstate Group 1 tilt.

Gun filly Learning To Fly can use Saturday’s Group 2 $1 million Arrowfield 3YO Sprint (1200m) at Royal Randwick as the perfect springboard to a Group 1 interstate raid.

Trainer Annabel Neasham has dreams of winning a Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes at Morphettville later this month with the smart sprinter, who can take an important step towards the major sprint with another Sydney feature win.

“She is a high quality filly and is already a Group 2 winner but the Group 1 is what we really want to get with her,“ Neasham said.

A winner of the Reisling Stakes at two, Learning To Fly is joined by classy stablemate Libertad in an impressive field of three-year-olds set to line-up on day two of Sydney’s The Championships.

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Learning To Fly had also been an acceptor in the Group 3 P J Bell Stakes last Saturday but Neasham elected to pull the pin as heavy rain drenched Sydney.

“We scratched because I didn’t think she would enjoy a Heavy 10,” Neasham said.

“She didn’t like it in the Surround Stakes when it was a bit loose and she wasn’t that comfortable on it.

Chad Schofield rode Learning To Fly (inside) during trackwork with the Stars at Royal Randwick Racecourse on Tuesday. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

“I just didn’t see the need to run her on it but as it transpired, the track raced better than I thought so I might not have pulled the right rein.

“The Group 1 is the aim with her in Adelaide is the aim (Robert Sangster Stakes).”

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Libertad is looking to bounce back after being the victim of interference when finishing back in the pack last start in the Group 3 Star Kingdom Stakes.

Neasham believes the smart son of Russian Revolution has the talent to win the Arrowfield.

“I just hope for him, he has got the confidence,” she said.

“We wanted to give him a nice confidence boosting gallop (on Tuesday) so he was going in confident.

“He has got the ability to win an Arrowfield and he quite likes it with a bit of juice in the track as well.”

Libertad ($26) will be ridden by Michael Dee while Chad Schofield is on Learning To Fly ($9).

Originally published as Annabel Neasham eyes interstate Group 1 raid with Learning To Fly after The Championships