McDonald to resist going out On A Limb
Clinton McDonald will likely race his up-and-coming filly Flying On A Limb (Flying Artie) in Saturday’s 1100-metre three-year-old handicap at Caulfield, rather than the Sir John Monash Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m), for which the daughter of Flying Artie (Artie Schiller) has also been given an entry.
Flying On A Limb, a $155,000 Inglis Premier buy for McDonald from the Balius Farm draft, will be chasing a fourth consecutive win having impressed in victories at Cranbourne, Sandown and last time out at Caulfield, in which she defeated Katsu (Mikki Isle) by a length and a quarter.
“She’ll probably end up running in the three-year-old 1100-metre race,” McDonald told ANZ Bloodstock News. “I think she’s a stakes-quality horse, but with her rating being 75, she’ll be best going through her grades and not leaving prize-money on the table. Normally the Sir John Monash can come up a bit light, with six or seven runners, but looking at it, this would seem the best option and we can chase the VOBIS money while she’s a three-year-old.
“She’s a filly that’s got that tactical speed where she can just idle in behind, but then she has that turn of foot that you look for. I thought her win the other day, she was always in control of the race and once she saw daylight she zoomed through. She’s really come on since that race and looks magnificent. She’s a talented filly and we look forward to seeing how far she can go.”
Flying On A Limb won her first race on May 12, having run fourth three times during her first preparation in the spring, but McDonald saw ability in her and chased her yearling full–brother at this year’s Premier sale, going to $140,000 for the colt.
“He’s a lovely colt, very similar to her. He’s very strong, not an overly big horse. I have a couple of Flying Arties now. He’s one of those underrated stallions that you don’t have to pay a lot for but you can find a decent racehorse with,” McDonald said.
“I’ve got a horse called Helix that has made three starts, but he’s a really nice horse. I’m happy to buy by Flying Artie.”
McDonald said he is likely to step up his Listed winner Star Patrol (Starspangledbanner) to 1400 metres, with a view of targeting the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) on November 18 at Caulfield.