Racing
Hickmott's Fancify returns in Listed Wylie
Group 3 winner first-up at Morphettville Saturday.
Michael Hickmott hopes there is at least one more win in stable star Fancify, who begins her swansong racing campaign in Saturday's Listed Wylie Handicap (1100m) at Morphettvile.
A Group 3 winner at Flemington during last year's Melbourne Cup Carnival, the six-year-old has taken her trainer all over the east coast in the last two racing seasons.
Hickmott said that after a minor setback that ruled the mare out of last month's Group 3 Behemoth Stakes, she is ready to race, albeit she may find several of her rivals too slick over the 1100m.
The run will determine her next steps, with options to race on in Melbourne or head to the Hunter Valley to be covered by a stallion.
"She's a very honest horse and she always gives her best," Hickmott said.
"We originally had her lined up to kick off last month but unfortunately she had a setback with a bad blood so we had to back off her.
"She goes into this over 1100m whereas I'd prefer to go to 1200m first-up.
"But I had a chat with Todd (Pannell) and he's happy with the barrier, as am I, and her work on Tuesday was excellent.
"This will probably be her last preparation before she goes to stud.
"Saturday will be a bit of a fork in the road as to whether she heads up to Arrowfield and gets served or whether we push on into the spring."
Interestingly, two runners in Saturday's Wylie are by the unheralded New Zealand stallion Niagara, with Jess Tzaferis' improved sprinter Halliwell chasing a fifth consecutive win and a first at Stakes level.
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