The most anticipated race of the weekend in Australia takes place at Morphettville on Saturday, with leading 2-year-old filly Sunlight (Aus) (Zoustar {Aus}) taking on exciting 3-year-old sprinter Nature Strip (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}) in the Listed Lightning S. four days before her official third birthday.
Sunlight-winner of the Magic Millions 2YO Classic, G2 Silver Slipper and G3 Magic Night S. this season-suffered her lone defeat when third in the G1 Golden Slipper when last seen on Mar. 24, and tuned up for this with a trial win over the track under jockey Jamie Kah on July 19.
Despite the fact that she is lining up against the race-fit Nature Strip, who was last seen taking the Listed Creswick S. at Flemington on July 7, trainer Tony McEvoy expressed confidence in her fitness and ability, telling Racenet, “She wouldn't be running if she wasn't fit enough to win, I can tell you that. She hasn't raced in many months, so [Nature Strip] is miles ahead of her in that department, but I'm not too worried because she is pretty good. She might not be fully wound up, but she has done enough. A filly like her puts in as much as she puts in.”
Sunlight gets 16 pounds from Nature Strip, and while seven total line up in the Lightning, it is being billed as a match race.
“In terms of the way the race will be run, I could see us sitting outside of [Nature Strip],” McEvoy added. “But then again I have heard some reports that they want to get Nature Strip to settle, so it may be a different run race to what many are thinking.”
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