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Last season’s two year old trotting filly of the year Empire City, (Volstead) returns to the harness racing track tomorrow night at Addington looking to carry on where she finished.
“She seems good and I’m very happy with her. We’re straight into the hot stuff but’s that’s the way of it. She’ll be hard to beat,” trainer Phil Williamson said.
Empire City was an impressive winner of the G1 Ace Of Hearts at her last start on Grand Prix Day at Addington in December and prior to that she won the G2 Lone Star Sires’ Stakes Two Year Old Championship.
Owned by Peter and Janet Argus, Empire City hasn’t been to a workout or a trial going into the IRT Sires’ Stakes Three Year Old Trotters Prelude, but that doesn’t worry her trainer.
She’ll face last season’s Ace Of Spades winner Tyron Eros (Majestic Son) who was an impressive winner at Addington last week.
“He’s had a race and has drawn inside of her which could be an issue and he might be too good for us but I wouldn’t lose any sleep over that.”
Once safely through tomorrow’s race Williamson plans to travel north with Empire City. He’ll also take his son Matthew’s horse Princess Sadie (Muscle Mass), last season’s Rowe Cup winner Love N The Port (Love You) and grand campaigner Majestic Man (Majestic Son) who’s closing in on $900,000 in stakes.
There are a host of good staked races for both Empire City and Princess Sadie, starting with the IRT New Zealand Sires’ Stakes Prelude on the 19th of April and concluding with the G2 Sires’ Stakes Three Year Old Final in May. A start in the $110,000 G1 Northern Trotting Derby on 24th May is also on the cards.
“Matty’s wee filly is really good that way round, but my girl is not as good. Our way is her favoured way.”
Majestic Man and defending Rowe Cup winner Love N The Port also have some big targets on the radar with the $60,000 G2 Lyell Creek Stakes, the $110,000 G1 National Trot, the $60,000 G2 Anzac Handicap and the $200,000 G1 Rowe Cup.
“If everything is well with him (Majestic Man) the Rowe Cup will be his swansong. You could go into another year, but I feel the number of opportunities he gets with races that are suitable for him, there’s hardly any of them.”
by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink
