Fastnet Filly Ready for Spring

Lightly raced filly Sailing By (3f Fastnet Rock x Amory Lane, by Galileo ) stamped herself as a spring prospect with a stylish victory at Sandown on Wednesday. Entered for the Group I MRC Thousand Guineas and Cox Plate, the Mick Price trained Sailing By was third on debut in the Group III VRC Maribyrnong Plate last spring, but did not reappear until finishing third in a Geelong maiden on the synthetic track on June 30. Given another jump-out in preparation for this 1300 metre maiden, Sailing By tracked the leaders on the fence for Craig Newitt and when switched into the clear surged to the line strongly to win by a neck as favourite. “Returning to the grass and a bigger track suited her today,” said Mick Price. “It’s given her prizemoney and a rating so she can get into the upcoming stakes races and beyond to the Thousand Guineas. “She’s out of a Galileo mare, so I’m looking forward to getting her up to 1600, 2000 metres and even further.” Bred by Michael Crismale’s Matrix Bloodstock, Sailing By fetched $300,000 at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale where she was consigned by Coolmore and now runs for a syndicate of Coolmore partners in the familiar navy blue. Coolmore and partners have already won the Group I MRC Thousand Guineas twice previously with daughters of Fastnet Rock in Irish Lights (2009) and Atlantic Jewel (2011). Foaled and raised at Coolmore for Matrix Bloodstock, Sailing By is the second winner for Group II placed Amory Lane, an Australian bred Galileo half-sister to HK stakes-winner Planet Ruler. Amory Lane has a Pierro yearling colt, but unfortunately missed to Fastnet Rock last spring.