Blondie overpowers rivals at Sandown

The winning return from injury of Blondie at Sandown has convinced trainer Brendan McCarthy the filly is on the right path to a Thousand Guineas start.

Blondie overcame a hairline fracture of her pelvis to win Wednesday’s 1000m Moorookyle Park Handicap and now McCarthy is aiming at October’s Group One Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield.

“I’m hoping we can head through to the Thousand Guineas and I think this was a good stepping stone for her,” McCarthy said.

Blondie won on debut at Moonee Valley in January with the trainer thinking enough of the then two-year-old to run her in the Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield.

She didn’t live up to McCarthy’s expectations, finishing last of the 14 runners.

McCarthy was shocked by the performance and set about finding a reason which turned out to be the pelvis injury.

“It was probably the biggest race that I’d had a runner in and to have a result like that was shocking,” McCarthy said.

“To have her come back is great.”

McCarthy has mapped out a program to the Thousand Guineas via the Atlantic Jewel Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on September 9 and the Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield on October 1.

If McCarthy believes the filly won’t run 1600m then he will bring her back to 1200m for the Blue Sapphire Stakes at Caulfield on October 18.

“She’s very settled in her ways so I think she can get to the Guineas” he said.

Ridden by apprentice Ethan Brown on Wednesday, Blondie overpowered Fox Swift to record a three-quarter length win with Miss Vixen 1-1/4 lengths away third.