Miss Siska chasing Australian Cup glory

The consistent Miss Siska will step up to Group One level in the Australian Cup at Flemington.

Her famous relative Hay List excelled as a sprinter but Miss Siska is making a name for herself as a middle distance performer.

And, eight years after her late half-brother Hay List set a metric era weight-carrying record to win the Group One Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington, the Grahame Begg-trained mare Miss Siska will chase Group One glory of her own in Saturday’s Australian Cup (2000m).

“That would be amazing wouldn’t it?” Begg said.

“If she could be competitive in an Australian Cup and he’s won a Newmarket.”

Hay List, who died in 2015, raced during an era dominated by unbeaten champion Black Caviar but the gelding, who finished second to the sprint Queen in four Group One races, still managed to win three times times at the elite level, highlighted by his memorable 2012 Newmarket victory under 58.5kg.

While Hay List was by Statue Of Liberty out of Sing Hallelujah, Miss Siska’s sire is So You Think.

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“That’s where she gets the endurance,” Begg said.

Miss Siska has eight wins from 26 starts and having been competitive in Group races before, she has taken the next step this campaign winning the Carlyon Cup and Peter Young Stakes at Caulfield in consecutive starts.

“Her resume was very good. She had been placed in Group Twos and ran a close fourth in a Group One, but she needed to tick that box of going on and winning a stakes race,” Begg said.

“Well, she’s won a Group Three. Now she’s won a Group Two. Now she’s got to win a Group One.”

Begg is Miss Siska’s third trainer and the mare won the Bendigo Bracelet at her first start for the stable in March last year before a close fourth in the Group One Coolmore Legacy at Randwick.

Acceptances for the Newmarket and Australian Cup are declared on Wednesday.