The previous occasion Getta Good Feeling raced, she went off as the odds-on favourite in the 2500-metre VRC Oaks, yet she returns this Saturday at Flemington in an event barely half that length.
Handler Danny O’Brien is utilising the $525,000 Easter Yearling Sale purchase’s eligibility for the Inglis Race Series to commence her preparation in the $1 million Inglis Sprint at 1200m.
Top-class speedsters Raging Force and Alpha Sophie top the nominations among Getta Good Feeling’s likely opponents, though O’Brien wouldn’t be surprised if she delivers a bold showing first-up after a near-miss third in an 800m Flemington heat last Friday.
“There are not many options for her to kick off, but it’s a nice starting point; 1200 metres down the straight at Flemington, it gets a good gallop into her and sets her up for the rest of the campaign,” O’Brien said.
“She’s obviously more effective at 1400 and a mile, but she’s a preparation older now, she’s sharper, her work so far has been very good and her trial Friday was very good.
“She seems to have come back in really good shape.”
Having notched her initial success in the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m), Getta Good Feeling placed third in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) and claimed the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) prior to struggling with the Oaks trip, finishing sixth behind Strictly Business.
Consequently, O’Brien chose not to enter Getta Good Feeling in the Group 1 ATC Australian Oaks (2400m) in Sydney, nor will she take part in the prominent prelude, the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m), where she ranks as second pick.
Her autumn targets centre on the $1 million Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) at Morphettville on April 25.
“After Saturday, she’ll then go probably three weeks and run over a mile (at Caulfield) at what was the old Moonee Valley meeting in the three-year-old fillies mile,” O’Brien said, referring to the $200,000 Group 3 Alexandra Stakes (1600m).
“We’ll just space her runs through to the Australasian Oaks.
“There’s an option to go to Brisbane after that. The Oaks in Brisbane is 2200 and we just thought the 2500 in the spring found her out for stamina late.”
Explore the latest racing betting markets ahead of Getta Good Feeling’s tilt in the Inglis Sprint this weekend.
