Fabergino Set For Biggest Test

Posted on June 21, 2018 | Posted by Tim Walker

Unbeaten filly Fabergino will look to enhance her credentials for feature races at Ascot this year, when she faces a hot field in Saturday’s TABtouch Handicap (1000m).

The Maschino filly has been kept in her own age group for her first two starts this campaign, but takes on the older horses on the weekend, headlined by in form duo Super Maxi and Undisclosed.

Jockey Peter Knuckey takes the ride on the Tiarnna Robertson-trained filly again on Saturday from barrier six.

Robertson said this Saturday would prove to be a very good guide on where Fabergino sits among some of Western Australia’s up and coming sprinters.

“She’s going to have to keep stepping up if she’s going to get to some of the races we want to aim her towards,” Robertson told TABradio’s The Sports Daily.

“With her ability, she isn’t going to find easy races against easy horses.

“We’ll try not to get ahead of ourselves and see how she goes on Saturday.”

It is expected Fabergino’s spring and summer campaign will be aimed towards the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes at Ascot.

The flashy grey has jumped from the barriers quickly in both of her runs this campaign, and has been able to find the front with ease.

First-up on April 28, Knuckey barely moved on the filly and she cruised to a two length win, and it was a similar storyline in her second-up run on June 2.

Robertson said it was a minor concern that Fabergino had won her first two starts with complete ease, but backed the filly to be able to handle the step up to take on the older horses.

“She’s obviously a lot more mature than she’s been in earlier preparations,” she said.

“She’s got such a high cruising speed, you often aren’t sure how much she has left.

“She doesn’t look like she’s putting in much effort towards the end.

“But she’s doing all she has to do so I can’t complain.”

Knuckey rode Super Maxi for Chris Gangemi on his debut in Perth on June 2, and rises 2.5kg to 59kg from that last start, however Gangemi has elected to utilise the 2kg claim of Andrew Castle for Saturday’s event.

Undisclosed and Ambiente, who finished first and second respectively in a 1000m event at Belmont on June 9, have drawn the inside two barriers on Saturday and are expected to sit on the speed with Fabergino.