JOE PRIDE EYEING ANOTHER MISSILE STAKES WIN

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, August 3, 2021

Racing NSW’s decision to take Warwick Farm, Rosehill and Canterbury out of play as racing venues until at least the end of August, because those tracks are situated in local government lockdown zones, means that the Group 2 Missile Stakes, which usually has its home at Rosehill, will now be contested at Randwick on Saturday.

Trainer Joe Pride, who will have Fasika involved in the contest, was unfazed by the change of venue … in fact, he was pleased about the transfer which he saw as being favourable to Fasika’s chances.

Fasika has yet to win at Rosehill, a statistic which sits in stark contrast to her record at Randwick where the six-year-old has already secure three wins, three seconds and a third place.

The Missile Stakes has been good to Pride who has won the race three times … twice with Rain Affair, in 2011 and 2013, and with Eduardo last year.

Only trainer John Hawkes has a better record in the Missile Stakes, currently standing alone with four winners … a feat Pride will be looking to equal on Saturday. The Hawkes stable does not have a runner in Saturday’s race.

Nominations for the 2021 edition of the Missile Stakes were extended after ten nominations were originally received.

Amongst those nominations, the Group 1 winner Kolding, is set to make his return in his first run since his fighting victory in the All Aged. His presence is sure to garner plenty of attention while the probable field also includes last start winners Chat (who won the July Sprint first-up) and Frosty Rocks (who similarly returned a winner after a six month spell).

For her part, Fasika comes into the race on the back of two trials, the second of which she won, indicating that the daughter of So You Think is travelling well.

Whether she can produce the result which would bring an even bigger smile to Joe Pride’s face on Saturday remains to be seen, but, so far, the stars seem to be aligning pretty well for Fasika to have every chance of doing just that.