Sprinting star on travels again

Australian sprinting sensation Miss Andretti will head to Sha Tin for a crack at the Hong Kong Sprint on December 9 after landing the Age Classic at Flemington on Saturday.

The Lee Freedman-trained mare shot to prominence earlier in the campaign on British shores when she showed her rivals two clean pairs of hooves in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Ridden by regular big-race partner Craig Newitt in her latest win, the six-year-old proved three-quarters of a length too strong for Gold Edition.

Newitt said: “She is unreal – simply in a class of her own. She is bigger, better and makes my job easy.”

Freedman was also quick to praise his stable star, comparing her favourably with three-time Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva, whom he trained to win the great race twice.

The winning handler said: “That was terrific – it was like a heavyweight championship over the last 200m.

“This is my new Makybe Diva,” he told the Racing Post.

The last-named mare will forever be remembered Down Under for her incredible exploits in the nation-stopping Melbourne Cup, and this year’s winner Efficient will try to follow in her hoofprints by winning the race again.

However, owner Lloyd Williams admits he would like to see the four-year-old tackle the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in the future.

He said: “I think I’ve got a unique stayer here.

“His record over distance is incredible. He has had only two runs beyond 2,040m and they have been for wins in the Victoria Derby and the Melbourne Cup. Both times he has been very impressive.

“He’s obviously not a weight-for-age horse. He needs to get beyond 2,000m to show his best. He’s an out-and-out stayer.

“He’ll have a light autumn then come back for another go at the Melbourne Cup.

“Then perhaps I should look at a trip to England for the Ascot Gold Cup. A staying race like that would suit him.”