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Lightning learner for promising fillies

A FAVOURABLE barrier in an open field has provided a perfect learning opportunity for promising filly Allez Sur Le Gris in Saturday’s $100,000 TAB Lightning Stakes (1050m) at Morphettville.

Trainer David Jolly said the daughter of well-performed mare Goon Serpent had progressed well since she led throughout to win impressively at Gawler on debut and believes she will be a better horse when ridden with cover.

“She won a jump out coming off the pace. In her trial I was wanting her to take a sit, at her first start I was wanting her to take a sit, but she jumped so well both times,’’ Jolly said.

“I think she’ll get a nice run on the back of the speed and we might just be able to learn a bit more about her before we pull up on her.”

Jolly said the other unknown for Allez Sur Le Gris was an improving Morphettville track after a week of perfect winter weather in Adelaide.

“This race was unplanned to some degree, but she came through Gawler really well,’’ Jolly added.

“Her trial and her Gawler win were both on rain-affected tracks, so it concerns me slightly. Maybe she she’s better on track with some give in it.”

The Goolwa horseman also saddles up the only male in the race, Streetcar Stranger, and said this year’s Lightning was a very different edition of the late-season two and three-year-old feature, with star sprinter Nature Strip defeating Sunlight in 2018, and Assertive Approach holding off Behemoth to win last year.

“I’m not sure if it’s ever happened where there has only been one male in the race,’’ Jolly added.

“Two-year-old fillies used to be very popular going back to when it was run at Cheltenham, but since the weight scale changed it’s made it hard for them.

“It’s certainly a different year.”

Tony and Calvin McEvoy’s Just Zerene is marked a $4.20 favourite first-up at tabcom.au with Barend Vorster to ride, while Jason Holder rides stablemate The Natural.

“Just Zerene’s the best horse, The Natural has got more fitness with the benefit of couple of races,’’ Tony McEvoy said.

And SA’s leading trainer hinted that the break had helped the promising Just Zerene mature after she provided the stable with more than her share of issues behind the barriers last campaign.

“We think she’s got a little better, a little easier to manage,” McEvoy said.

“I’ve taken her to Murray Bridge and she went beautifully in a jump out; she’s going very well.

“No one has seen her talent yet, it will come out one day.”

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