Smerdon weighs up options with Andrioli

Tuesday 10 March 2015, 11:41am

Robert Smerdon is weighing up which stakes race to target at Flemington with last-start winner Andrioli.

The two-year-old is nominated for Saturday's Group Two Sires' Produce Stakes over 1400m and the Group Three TBV Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes, a race restricted to fillies, over 1200m.

"I still haven't decided which way to go," Smerdon said.

"I'm thinking the 1400 is the trip she is looking for, but the other race is a fillies' race and there's always a bit of protection in running against their own gender.

"I haven't had a real good look at both fields yet but she'll line up in one of them."

Andrioli finished sixth on debut in the $250,000 Inglis Premier (1000m) at Sandown.

She then stepped out on March 4 at Sandown with blinkers on and won the midweek maiden by two lengths.

"She's got a great constitution and is a really robust filly," Smerdon said.

"She improved markedly from the first run to her second run and the blinkers going on were a benefit for her going forward.

"I think 1400 metres will be her best trip, but whether that field is the best one for her to be meeting, I'm not sure."

Andrioli is one of six fillies nominated for both juvenile races at Flemington.

Meanwhile, Smerdon says Fontein Ruby seems to have come through her Australian Guineas failure well but he is undecided where she goes next.

After an awkward start, Fontein Ruby ended up back in the field and made no impression.

"She didn't break cleanly, they crossed her and she was new to Chad (Schofield). Everything that could go wrong did go wrong," Smerdon said.

"Even allowing for all that, she didn't perform well so I'm not sure what to take out of it."

He said the original plan had been to run in the Group One Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) in Sydney in three weeks.

Another option is to back off and target the Adelaide carnival.

– AAP

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