Dean Holland has won the battle of the lightweight riders for the ride on She’s Licketysplit (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) in the Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes.
Trainer Andrew Forsman confirmed on Saturday that the three-year-old filly would take on the older mares in the 1600-metre race.
The Gr.2 Edward Manifold Stakes winner and Gr.1 Thousand Guineas placegetter is required to carry just 49 kilograms under the conditions of the A$1 million for mares on October 29 at Flemington.
Indeed, She’s Licketysplit will earn a payday of A$1.6 million if she can win the race as she is eligible for a A$1 million bonus for her Manifold success at Flemington two weeks ago.
Forsman had the option of instead keeping She’s Licketysplit to her own age in the Gr.2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) on October 29 following five days later by the Gr.1 VRC Oaks (2500m), but he opted not to take her beyond 1600 metres.
She may well be the only three-year-old in the race as most other fillies out of the Thousand Guineas are either going to the Oaks or are having a break.
Three-year-old fillies generally are most competitive in the Empire Rose Stakes with I Am A Star (NZ) winning in 2016 before Shoals took the race in 2017.
More recently, fillies Odeum and Forbidden Love ran the minor placings in 2020 while Fundamentalist was also placed in 2018.
Forsman has enjoyed a great run in Melbourne this spring with the likes of She’s Licketysplit, Mr Maestro and Saint Bathans all winning multiple races before Aegon’s brave final race win on Saturday and the Kiwi trainer is hopeful another addition to his Melbourne-based team can also score. He said four-year-old gelding White Noise (NZ) (El Roca) would soon be joining his Flemington-based team in time to contest the listed A$200,000 Sale Cup (1600m) on October 23.
