Wide Caulfield course no problem for Siska

Miss Siska has enhanced her value as a broodmare in winning the TS Carlyon Cup at Caulfield.

Miss Siska has scored an important win for her future as a broodmare with a tough victory in the TS Carlyon Cup at Caulfield.

Having her first run following a spring campaign that saw her register three second placings at stakes level, Miss Siska was forced to race three wide over the 1600m of Saturday’s race.

While that scenario invariably puts fear into connections, trainer Grahame Begg said Miss Siska maintained a good rhythm which contributed to her success.

Providing Damian Lane the second leg of a winning double, Miss Siska, the $2.20 favourite, scored by 1-3/4 lengths from Odeon ($4.20) with Guizot ($4.80) three-quarters-of-a-length away third.

“Sometimes we overstate travelling wide as in Europe they travel three and four wide in most races,” Begg said.

“That horse was in her comfort zone today. The main thing was she was in a good rhythm and Damian was actually controlling the race and knew what he was chasing down, so it was very good.”

Saturday’s victory in the Group Three contest was Miss Siska’s first in black-type company after four placings as well as a fourth-placed finish at Group One level.

“We needed to get a stakes race win for her and she’s ticked that box now,” Begg said.

Miss Siska now heads to the Group Two Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on February 22 before her main goal of the Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington a fortnight later.

“Her form at 2000 metres at Flemington is very good,” Begg said.

“She’s been beaten a head in the past two Matriarch Stakes and we’ve got a fit horse on our hands and that’s the way we’re going to aim.”