Trainer Will Larkin fancies Lady In Pink in competitive Group 3 Victoria Handicap at Caulfield

A big run is expected from Lady In Pink as the mare begins a light autumn campaign in the Group 3 Victoria Handicap before the focus turns to a Group 1 target.

Lady In Pink continued to impress trainer Will Larkin ahead of the Group 3 Victoria Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

Larkin, who trains in partnership with Leon and Troy Corstens, said the Group 2 winner has improved again since the spring.

The Corstens-Larkin team boasts future Caulfield Cup aspirations for Lady In Pink, set for only a light autumn campaign before attention turns to the Group 1 major.

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“She’s always been a nice mare, she’s only a four-year-old and still improving prep by prep and I reckon she’s done just that from her last preparation, which has us pretty excited,” Larkin said.

“We’d love to, if she continued to improve and showed she was capable of measuring up, maybe look towards a Caulfield Cup as the main target for her, it will be a very light autumn.

“She’s going really well, the fittest she’s been going into a first-up run (after three jumpouts), she normally goes in off two and she normally takes a run to hit her peak.

“Being a touch fitter we expect her to run a big race first-up. The gate (barrier 13) is a bit of a concern, where she gets to in the run, she’s probably going to find herself in the second half of the field.”

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Lady In Pink is a $21 chance in a competitive Victoria Handicap.

Superazi ($6.50), Regal Zeus ($7), Chorlton Lane ($8), Roll On High ($8) and Miss Aria ($9.50) top the market.

“It’s come up quite a strong race,” Larkin said.

“You can’t hide in these Group races.”

Lady In Pink winning the Tristarc Stakes at Caulfield last spring. Picture: Michael Klein

Larkin said plans beyond Saturday would be made after the Victoria Handicap.

“There’s races here there and everywhere, we haven’t really put anything in front of her just yet,” Larkin said.

Lady In Pink has a nomination for the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf (1600m) next Saturday in Sydney but Larkin said the seven-day back-up would be “tricky”.

“The right races weren’t really presenting any earlier than this weekend,” Larkin said.

“We had her in the Emancipation (Stakes) in case we wanted to go that way but how heavy the tracks were and 1500m first-up we just thought it would be too much of a test.”

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Larkin also has colt Facilitate in the Listed Redoute’s Choice Stakes (1100m) on Saturday at Caulfield.

The Capitalist two-year-old colt has been runner-up in both career starts to date.

“He’s been a bit of a strange horse to watch his races at the moment, he’s a very hard going horse in his track and jump outs but both times he’s gone to the races he’s been off the bridle,” Larkin said.

“The blinkers go on for Saturday, drawn a little bit sticky in a small field but I’d say with how electric he can be out of the gates he’s going to be in the first half of the field.

“The Hayes horse looks pretty smart, Scenic Point, it won really well at Pakenham the other day, it’s probably the one to beat but outside of that I think he’s right in it.

“He’s (Scenic Point) probably going to be getting back and running on and we’ll be closer to the pace, hopefully he gives us too much of a start.”



Originally published as Trainer Will Larkin fancies Lady In Pink in competitive Group 3 Victoria Handicap at Caulfield