Omei Sword nearing comeback

Godolphin colt Astern will be the headline act at the Warwick Farm barrier trials with Omei Sword, who he defeated to win the Golden Rose, to be saved for later in the week.

Trainer Chris Waller said Omei Sword would run in a trial at Randwick on Friday.

The filly is regarded by many as the next Group One star from the stable and Waller expects her to shine in the autumn after her spring carnival was cut short.

Her second placing in the Golden Rose earned Omei Sword odds-on favouritism for the Flight Stakes but she was ruled out with a respiratory ailment.

“She won’t run at Warwick Farm but will trial at the end of the week instead,” Waller said.

“We’ve still got a bit of time up our sleeve so she will go to Randwick.

“Her Group One target is the Coolmore Classic which she will go to third-up after the Light Fingers Stakes over 1200 metres and then the Surround over 1400.”

The Group Two Light Fingers is on February 11, the same day the Waller-trained champion Winx returns to the races in the Apollo Stakes.

Waller has flown to London where Winx is among the nominees for the World’s Best Racehorse awards to be announced this week.

Omei Sword’s stablemate Sezanne will run in the first 1000m-trial against Astern on Monday.

The filly ran third to Global Glamour in the Flight but was promoted to second last week with the disqualification of runner-up Yankee Rose because of a positive swab to an anti-inflammatory.

Omei Sword was scheduled to run in the second of the trials on the course proper with Waller still well represented with five runners including multiple Group One winner Preferment.