Ladies In Red back bigger and better

Owner Bill Anderson said Ladies In Red was “thriving” after an extended break, with her main aims in 2021 being the Victoria Oaks, Breeders Crown Series and Vicbred Super Series.

Anderson said a strategic decision was made to give the horse a long spell following a grueling campaign that had left her “flat”.

“She did it so tough, especially in that Breeders Crown. We’ve done it with others. We did it with Speak No Evil as a young horse too, missed a couple of good races,” he told thetrots.com.au.

“We decided (because) we had Beach Music we would go on with her and spell Ladies In Red, which we did and it’s probably been the best decision we’ve made because she’s thriving.”

Ladies In Red won her first nine races as a two-year-old – including the $300,000 Breeders Crown Series 2YO Fillies Final – before suffering her only defeat on New Year’s Eve when a gallant second to Tough Tilly in the Vicbred Super Series decider.

Anderson said the horse had been back at he and wife Anne’s Lauriston Bloodstock property in Longwood, where she prepared for her return to trainer Emma Stewart’s Cardigan stables.

“She’s done six weeks pre-training up here in the water walker and a little bit of track work, and she went back to Emma’s last week,” he said.

“They’re thrilled with the way she’s come back to them.

“Sometimes with young fillies that have had, like her, 10 starts and been to the bottom every time, (including a) track record in 1:51.9, you’re better to back off.”

Anderson said there had been discussions about a Queensland campaign with Ladies In Red, but that had been decided against.

“That’s nice to chase all those good races, but they can’t be in every dance,” he said.

“We’ve had that policy for a long time, we did the same with Poster Boy and Speak No Evil. And in the end, they deliver if you manage them. We are not after a massive amount of starts, we are after being in the best races.”

Anderson said Ladies In Red would likely have a few runs leading into the Pryde’s Easifeed Victoria Oaks on October 9 at Tabcorp Park Melton.

By Tim O’Connor for HRV