Two Kewney chances for Maher and Eustace

Unbeaten filly How Womantic is one of two runners for the Maher/Eustace team in the Kewney Stakes.

After having a trip to Sydney for the Group One Surround Stakes aborted, How Womantic will instead try to remain unbeaten when she contests the Group Two Kewney Stakes at Flemington.

How Womantic is one of two acceptors for the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace training partnership in Saturday’s Kewney (1400m) for three-year-old fillies, with Group Two winner Fascino the other.

Both will race in blinkers for the first time and Eustace believes it is hard to split them.

How Womantic claimed her first stakes win in the Group Three Kevin Hayes Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield last month to make it four wins from as many starts.

She was an acceptor for last Saturday’s Group One Surround Stakes (1400m) in Sydney won by Probabeel but was scratched.

“She got a wide gate and she also just had a graze on her knee,” Eustace said.

“She could have travelled up but with the wide gate, the two things allowed us to scratch knowing that there was this race coming up on Saturday and she’s a Group Three winner heading into a Group Two.

“She goes there in good form but it’s not going to be an easy task.

“She’s won four in a row in her first racing preparation and she’s done a massive job for everyone.”

Fascino was runner-up in the Group Two Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) at Flemington last spring before dead-heating for first in the Group Two Fillies Classic (1600m) at The Valley.

The filly resumed with a fourth in the Group Three Vanity (1400m) at Flemington on February 15 which Eustace rated an excellent return and after watching her work in blinkers, he believes they will help.

“They’ve definitely just helped her sharpen up,” he said.

“She’s probably been a victim of being a little bit tardy away and being a little bit green towards the end of her races, and the blinkers just help her travel.

“I don’t think there would be much between them. They’re both quality fillies, certainly up to this grade. Their ratings suggest there is not much between them and I think that’s about right.”