‘The other filly is a champion’: John O’Shea’s Snow In May takes on Autumn Glow in Flight Stakes

Trainer John O’Shea was under no illusions about the task confronting his promising filly Snow In May when she takes on Autumn Glow in Saturday’s Group 1 Flight Stakes at Royal Randwick.

Trainer John O’Shea was under no illusions about the task confronting his promising filly Snow In May in the Group 1 $750,000 Flight Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

“Snow In May will be suited going to the mile but I think the other filly is a champion,’’ he said.

O’Shea, who trains in partnership with Tom Charlton, was making an obvious reference to unbeaten Autumn Glow, the hot favourite to win the fillies classic.

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The two fillies clashed in the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes two weeks ago when Autumn Glow scored a comfortable win while Snow In May ran on from last on the turn to finish second.

“She’s trained on well and we will give it a go,’’ O’Shea said of Snow In May’s Flight Stakes assignment.

There’s a commonality between Autumn Glow and Snow In May – they are both by Arrowfield Stud’s emerging super sire The Autumn Sun and both fillies are going to the Flight Stakes with three career starts.

Autumn Glow, trained by Chris Waller, is in her debut preparation and has won each of her three races by dominant margins.

🍂 Autumn Glow proves she’s the real deal and wins the G2 Tea Rose Stakes at just her third start and remains unbeaten!@cwallerracing | @mcacajamezpic.twitter.com/wfzgZHg4MD

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 21, 2024

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Snow In May made a winning debut last May as a two-year-old then was spelled before resuming with her Newcastle success prior to her very good second behind Autumn Glow in the Tea Rose Stakes.

In latest TAB Fixed Odds betting for the Flight Stakes, Autumn Glow dominates betting at $1.50 with her stablemate Lady Shenandoah at $6 ahead of Snow In May at $7.

• Clinton Payne’s Flight Stakes tips, runner-by-runner form assessment

The O’Shea-Charlton stable also has Group 1 ambitions for tough stayer Athabascan in the $750,000 The Metropolitan (2400m).

Athabascan has been unplaced in two starts this spring but he’s out to his right distance range now.

“This is a lovely race for him, he’s a great mile and a half horse and is in good form,’’ O’Shea said.

Athabascan won the Listed City Tattersall’s Club Cup and Group 3 Colin Stephen Quality at 2400m last spring then earlier this year he finished a game second in the Group 1 Sydney Cup over 3200m.

• Clinton Payne’s Epsom Handicap tips, runner-by-runner form assessment

O’Shea has Benaud and Cafe Millenium clashing in the Alinta Energy Handicap (1600m).

Benaud is resuming after a long spell and although he has the necessary class to be competitive, he is likely to need the run.

Cafe Millenium, a minor placegetter in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas earlier this year, ran only 10th in the Bill Ritchie Handicap when resuming so O’Shea decided against starting the gelding in the Epsom Handicap.

“I just feel Cafe Millenium had a very bad day at the races the other day and I didn’t want to go to the Epsom off such a negative run,’’ O’Shea said.

“He will go around in the (benchmark 94) mile race and we will see if he can get back in the game.’’

Meanwhile, O’Shea confirmed promising three-year-old Linebacker has been gelded and sent for a spell after he ran sixth in Broadsiding’s Golden Rose last week.

Originally published as ‘The other filly is a champion’: John O’Shea’s Snow In May takes on Autumn Glow in Flight Stakes