City beckons for smart Lake-trained filly Fieldelo

AN emphatic return to racing on her home track last Friday appears to have earned Bendigo trainer Toby Lake’s smart filly Fieldelo a trip to the city.

The three-year-old daughter of Deep Field made it two wins from two starts with a blistering seven-length win over 1000m at Bendigo, ridden by Harry Coffey.

It was part of a big day for the locals, with Bendigo trainers winning three of the eight races on the card, on the same day as the Bendigo Jockey Club paid tribute to its long-serving committee member and former chairman Brendan Drechsler, in the wake of his passing on May 24.

Jarrod Robinson took out the 1600m benchmark 64 with his recent stable addition Altruist, and Tim Fitzsimmons continued his golden run by winning the final event on the program with Lightning Express.

It was the former Singapore-based trainer’s sixth win from his last 12 starters, which included a double at the previous Bendigo meeting on May 14 with Black Storm and Greatham Boy.

But undoubtedly the standout performance on the day was that of Fieldelo, who was having only her second race start and first since her impressive win on debut at Kilmore last November, when beating the well-touted Phillip Stokes-trained gelding Sweethearted.

Lake has been ultra-cautious with the filly in the meantime but was rewarded for his and his owners’ patience with an exciting victory.

“I want to thank Mark Schiavello and all the owners, they’ve been unbelievable letting me do what I want to do with her,” he said.

“She didn’t come up in the back end of summer – she needed a month out and had to start again – and they (the owners) let me do it.

“I felt confident (last Friday). She just gives me so much confidence this filly.

“There was a bit of talk around her maiden win that she might have been lucky to win, and due respect, the second horse (Sweethearted) was a bit unlucky.

“But you go back and watch the replay, she did everything wrong on debut. She got there too soon, she had a good look around and tried to throw the race away, but talent got her there.

“She is a much more furnished product this time. I’m just pumped.”

Lake said a three-year old race in Melbourne in two weeks’ time and another in Adelaide in July were options he was canvassing with Fieldelo.

Coffey, who took the winning ride after good mate Jye McNeil rode Fieldelo on debut, is confident there are bigger things ahead for the filly.

“She really let down nicely. She didn’t beat much, but I liked the way she quickened,” he said.

“At the top of the straight she gave me a nice feel. She probably idled off, but had the ability to get away late.

“I’d say there will be tough races in store and she will have to improve again, but what a way to return to the races.

“I’d imagine she’d be able to drop in weight if they place her aggressively, which can always aid your turn of foot and also the way they finish.

“The team have handled her really well.”