Go Indy Go ready to embark on Oaks mission

Sunday 22 June 2014, 5:09pm

After four decades in the racing business, Leon Macdonald believes he has a superstar on his hands.

Go Indy Go has already added her name to the Adelaide trainer's Group One honour roll with her victory in the Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick in April.

She is back at Morphettville getting ready for a three-year-old spring campaign during which she will target fillies races up to the 2500 metres of the VRC Oaks.

"She had a few weeks in the paddock and is in great order," Macdonald said.

"She is such an athlete. She could be the best I've ever had.

"We haven't really put her program in place. A likely starting point is the Quezette Stakes then on to the Thousand Guineas Prelude and the Manifold before the Thousand Guineas.

"And after that we will get her ready for the Oaks."

Go Indy Go is from the family of the Macdonald-trained 2011 Caulfield Cup winner Southern Speed and is out of Elegant Eagle, a mare Macdonald trained to win over 2600m.

Macdonald tasted Classic Success in Melbourne with Rebel Raider in the 2008 Victoria Derby but he and his training partner Andrew Gluyas opted to miss the race last year with Geelong Classic winner Gamblin' Guru in favour of an autumn campaign.

But the gelding's preparation was thrown into disarray when he fell in a race at Morphettville in March and stable jockey Clare Lindop suffered multiple broken ribs.

Lindop has only recently resumed riding trackwork.

Gamblin' Guru was not ready for the ATC Australian Derby but won two races in Adelaide before finishing fourth in the South Australian equivalent.

"Gamblin' Guru is back in work but we haven't mapped out a program for him," Macdonald said.

"I'm not sure where he sits among the staying horses. We will target some races in the Melbourne spring and see where it takes us."

Go Indy Go's full brother Essay Raider is due back in the stable soon after a short break since his close third in last month's Listed Straight Six at Flemington.

Unlike his sister, Essay Raider is a sprinter, something Macdonald confirmed by having his DNA tested.

"We will look at some of the Group sprint races in Melbourne," the trainer said.

"But I'm not sure how high we will aim with him."

– AAP

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