By Kelsey Riley
Group 1-winning mare English (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}) ran a valiant race in the Apr. 1 G1 TJ Smith S. only to be run down late by the brilliant sprinter Chautauqua (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}), and the 4-year-old returns to the company of her own sex in an attempt to grab another Group 1 win in the A$1-million UBET Classic (Robert Sangster S.) on Saturday. English slipped to sixth two weeks after her TJ Smith exploits when attempting to defend her title in the G1 All Aged S., with the TJ Smith fourth Tivaci (Aus) (High Chaparral {Ire}) turning the tables that day. Adrian Bott, who trains Newhaven Park's English in partnership with Gai Waterhouse, told Racing and Sports the mare has been training in Melbourne for the week in preparation to race left-handed for the first time.
“English has been down there for a week working the other way,” he said. “She is racing in great form and her work in Melbourne has been good. She has been racing on heavy tracks in Sydney and it has been good for her to see firmer tracks. If English reproduces the TJ run I don't think there is a mare in the country that could go with her on Saturday.”
Attempting to go with English will be two other recent Group 1 winners in Sheidel (Aus) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) and I Am A Star (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}). The 5-year-old Sheidel won the G1 Oakleigh Plate first-up in February and has been enjoying a break since finishing sixth in the G1 William Reid S. on Mar. 24. Matthew Sandblom's I Am A Star bested older mares in the G1 Myer Classic in October and won a pair of Group 2s in Victoria this season before finishing eighth in the G1 Doncaster Mile on Apr. 1. Another to keep an eye on is the Feb. 11 G2 Rubiton S. winner Super Cash (Aus) (Written Tycoon {Aus}), who won a trial on Apr. 21 and attempts to bounce back from an eighth-place finish in the G1 Newmarket H. on Mar. 11.
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