© Bronwen HealyEuropeSteinem shines at Sandown
Frankel filly Steinem looks to be Group 1 bound in Australia following a very impressive win at Sandown.
Taken from www.racing.com:
The Australasian Oaks beckons for Steinem after an impressive swooping win at Sandown Hillside on Wednesday.
Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Steinem ($2.20 favourite) made a winning debut at Pakenham over 1400 metres on March 18. Jye McNeil remained aboard the daughter of Frankel for her three-year-old fillies Benchmark 64 handicap over 1600m on Wednesday and she settled towards the rear of the field, off a steady pace, before sprinting brilliantly to score by 3.5 lengths.
Gunmetal Girl ($6) ran second, with Maid Of Iron ($6.50) a further three-quarters of a length away in third.
"That felt really good the way she let down, she was a great winner at Pakenham but then to come here into Benchmark 64 city grade today was always going to be a big step, but she demolished them," McNeil said.
"I did have a lot of ground to make up but initially after letting down I was worried whether I got there too early, she really put them away really quickly.
"Thankfully she's switched on and smart enough to go on with it. She's a nice one for the future.
"Based on the feel and the progress she's made (from her debut) there's more improvement to come as well. She is going to get over further ground I suspect."
Eustace said post-race that connections would assess their options but heavily hinted the $127,250 Gr.3 Auraria Stakes (1800m) on April 17 ahead of the $500,000 Gr.1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) at Morphettville on May 1 could be on her agenda.
Frankel has sired other fillies or mares to win stakes races in Australia, namely Hungry Heart, Miss Fabulass and Frankely Awesome. The unbeaten champion has sired one elite-level winner in Australia, Mirage Dancer, who claimed last year's Metropolitan Handicap (2400m).