Slight edge to Savvy Hallie

Fillies and mares take centre stage at Rosehill Gardens on March 14 with the running of the A$1 million (S$908,000) Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1,500m).

The handicap conditions of the 53-year-old feature makes it even more intriguing given the last big races had recently been set-weight contests. The upshot is a very even field where no horse really stands out.

Currently, Sydney multiple-champion trainer Chris Waller, who has hogged the last three editions with Espiona (2023), Zougotcha (2024) and Lady Shenandoah (2025), saddles the favourite Lazzura, but the Snitzel mare also shoulders the top impost of 58kg, which renders her task trickier.

At her last start on Feb 21, Lazzura on 58kg was locked in battle with the Michael Freedman-trained Cinsault on 55kg in the Group 2 Millie Fox Stakes (1,300m) in Rosehill. She looked to gain the upper hand first but peaked on her run and was beaten a neck by Cinsault.

The pair meet each other again in the Coolmore Classic with no weight turnaround. Cinsault (8-1), a Brazen Beau four-year-old who is bidding for a four-in-a-row, is on the same handicap terms as the two leading fillies, Brad Widdup’s Savvy Hallie (4-1) and Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman’s Ole Dancer (6-1), but not Lazzura who concedes 3kg to the younger pair.

Under such circumstances, Lazzura’s 17-10 odds would arguably appear shorter on face value, but punters might have been swayed by top hoop James McDonald’s six-timer last weekend.

It would be remiss of punters to ignore the next two mares in the ranks, both at 9-1, Verona Rose and Manaal, a second runner for ex-Kranji trainer Freedman.

The Gary Portelli-trained Verona Rose recently beat Manaal by less than one length in the Group 2 Guy Walter Stakes (1,400m) at Randwick on Feb 28. Both will relish the extra 100m, but it will pay to follow the five-year-old mare who finished right on their heels in third.

Arctic Glamour is back on her home track for Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou after that terrific first-up third from last in the Guy Walter. From a soft barrier in one, the three-time winner by Frosted should not be discounted.

Waller’s second runner Firestorm (12-1) was also in the same race. He did not go around any runners on the rails, and stuck on gamely for sixth, 1¾ lengths off Verona Rose.

With a 2.5kg drop in weight to only 53.5kg, the New Zealand-bred mare by Japanese stallion Satono Aladdin might be more competitive. Lightweight jockey Tyler Schiller takes the ride.

However, the Guy Walter was a stop-start affair, which tends to debase forms, while the two 3YOs Savvy Hallie’s close second after leading and Ole Dancer’s 1.87L third in the Group 2 Surround Stakes (1,400m) at Randwick on Feb 28 was not from a vintage crop.

But being beaten by star filly Tempted adds merit to their runs.

On Savvy Hallie’s much closer margin, Nash Rawiller’s rebooking and the way she went hard through the line, the Hellbent filly may have an edge in the Coolmore Classic. She is drawn wide, but she should lead again.

manyan@sph.com.sg