David Vandyke’s $2 million earner Yankee Rose is fit and firing after a strong Cranbourne jump-out this week ahead of the mare’s first-up run in the 2017 Memsie Stakes.
Yankee Rose is on track for a competitive return in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes on September 2nd. Photo: Steve Hart
Sunshine Coast-based Vandyke has had the now four-year-old daughter of All American in Melbourne since last week, Yankee Rose settling in well at her new Cranbourne base thanks to a bit of help from Victorian horseman Mick Kent.
“Cranbourne is a fantastic training centre and Mick Kent is a great bloke and he’s helped us so it’s falling into place,” Vandyke told RSN927 on Wednesday.
Yankee Rose showed her affinity for the Cranbourne track on Tuesday morning for a comfortable heat win with the back-from-injury Dean Yendall aboard.
“He [Yendall] said she felt bigger and strong because she has been in work for over six months and I guess I’ve seen that much of her that I can’t give an honest comparison to last year,” Vandyke said.
“It’s good to hear him say she felt better and being a four-year-old now instead of an early three-year-old, she needs to have improved and that that big step.”
From nine career starts Yankee Rose has enjoyed four wins including two elite level victories.
As a two-year-old the filly backed-up from a Golden Slipper second behind Capitalist to take out the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) last year.
She was in winning form again last October with Yendall guiding her to victory in Randwick’s Spring Champion Stakes (2000m).
It was a huge spring for Yankee Rose who backed-up with a third to Winx and Hartnell in the iconic Cox Plate at Moonee Valley, before things went amiss with a second last (14th) to Lasqueti Spirit in the Crown Oaks at Flemington.
Vandyke has taken his time with Yankee Rose after the Crown Oaks set back and she had two Queensland trials, including a 1270m win at the Sunshine Coast on August 1, before heading south.
She will be tested in top company right away making her new season and Caulfield debut on September 2 in the Group 1 $1 million Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m).
“We’re in a good place going forward to Saturday week,” Vandyke said.
“I just wish the race was tomorrow because she’s in really good shape.
“As we know, a lot can go wrong with this mare but we’re staying positive and I was very happy with the way she pulled up after yesterday.
“It’s just a matter of ticking her over now and holding her together.”
All-in Memsie Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au are an open affair with Yankee Rose one of the key chances paying $8 for the win.
She has a solid first-up record (3-1-1-0) but hasn’t raced over 1400m since her sixth to Astern at Rosehill in the Golden Rose Stakes last September.
To back Yankee Rose first-up in the Memsie Stakes 2017 and for access to all the other best spring racing odds online visit our No. 1 recommended bookmaker Ladbrokes.com.au.
