Speedster primed for Group One prize
Garrick Knight - Raceform • September 18th, 2025 12:30 PM • 4 min read
The first Group One of the spring is up for grabs at Alexandra Park on Friday night as the juvenile girls contest the $100,000 Caduceus Club Fillies Classic.
It’s an even field without a clear standout, which suits Carter Dalgety perfectly as he looks to nab it with third favourite Lizzie Borden.
She’s been ultra-impressive winning her last runs for Dalgety’s parents, Cran and Chrissie – at Gore and Addington – and comes north full of gusto.
A wide draw has stymied her chances somewhat, but Dalgety believes her natural speed will nullify it.
“I can go forward or back, and it wouldn’t worry me if she’s three lengths off them turning in because she’s so fast,” Dalgety told RaceForm.
Dalgety sees race favourite Shezsofast as the likely early leader before then trying to hand to her stablemate, Alecto, who follows her through from the second line.
“That seems near certain to happen. I’ve had a good think about it, and I’ve watched those lead-up races up north and that’s probably the likely scenario. But I do think it’s an even group without a standout, and the race is there for the taking.”
Dalgety says he couldn’t have been more impressed by Lizzie Borden in her three runs to date.
“Her first start, she couldn’t have done much more and the horse that beat her, Zeus Lightning, looks like it might give Jumal a run for its money in the big races.
“Down at Gore, she went 1.54.8 and was good doing it, then she went 2.23 (1.56.4 MR) at Addington with the plugs in.
“She’s quite a big, rangy filly, but has a lot of speed, and that’s why we’ve always had this race in mind for her.”
One race earlier, Dalgety will be looking to make a winning resumption with the stable’s classy two-year-old gelding, Fugitive, who will go out a prohibitive favourite in the $30,000 Woodlands Stud Sires Stakes Heat.
He won the Gr. 1 Cardigan Bay Stakes on the same track in May and was later put aside for a spring campaign despite heavy Australian interest for the A$500,000 Protostar Slot Race in July.
“He’s had two trials. The first one was great in behind in behind older horses, and then in the second one he was super again. He’s definitely improved from his first campaign.”
Dalgety expects to lead and win.
Dalgety has two other drives on the night – Westar Milly and The Surfer – and believes the former looks better than runner’s chance while the latter is up against it in the Spring Cup. He also made mention of a couple of other stable runners this week.
“On Thursday, down at Winton, we have Sugar Babe in. She’s an okay filly that looks a good top-three chance. (Race 4 at Winton)
“And we’ll have Lasa in at Motukarara on Sunday. He was a last-start winner at Wyndham and loves the grass, so should run another good race.” (Lasa runs in Race 12 on Sunday)
