Throughout the years, the Listed Anzac Day Stakes held at Flemington has thrown up several capable performers.
Past champions of the 1400m event for two-year-olds feature Epimeles (2024), Tijuana (2022), Chaillot (2019), Vassilator (2017), Merchant Navy (2017), Long John (2013) and Confectioner (2003).
The contest arrives at an ideal moment for a barely raced runner seeking a distance increase and not necessarily set for trips away from home.
That runner is Profligate, prepared by Grahame Begg, who lines up for her second career outing on Saturday prior to a spell aimed at the spring campaign.
Profligate notched a victory over 1200m at Pakenham in her initial appearance on April 2.
“I wanted to give her another run before I turn her out and there really wasn’t another race to run her in,” Begg said.
“It’s not easy to win first-up at 1200 metres, let alone being your first start in a race, and to be truthful she wasn’t wound right up for it.
“She had jumped out well and showed us she was ready to go to the races and anything she did there was going to be a bonus.
“She was pretty raw but got the job done, so I thought ‘let’s roll the dice’ and run her over 1400 metres on Saturday on the big track, which will suit her, and there’s the added bonus of some Black Type.
“She can go for a break afterwards. It gives her a little bit more exposure and in previous years some nice horses have won it and gone on to do nice things.”
Begg noted that Profligate is a modest-looking filly who will fill out into her frame, calling her a ‘big, tally leggy girl’.
“She’s a half-sister to Encap who ran third in the Doncaster last year and I liked her as a type, an athletic filly and she could develop into a spring filly, if we aim her right,” Begg said.
“I wouldn’t suggest she’s going to be a middle-distance horse, but she might be one to run up to a mile.
“You certainly don’t have to be running against the ones early in the spring as there’s plenty of options for a three-year-old in the spring, and the autumn which can then set them up as four-year-olds.”
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