Wilde has Plenty Of Ammo to fire for first Group 1 win

Trainer Symon Wilde believes he has that horse in his stable and by the end of the year he's hoping to have trained his first Group 1 winner with a home-bred mare.

Lightly raced mare Plenty Of Ammo makes her return to racing in Saturday's $200,000 Group 3 Tressady Stakes (1400 metres) at Flemington, but the underrated trainer has bigger plans for the six-year-old.

"We're starting Plenty Of Ammo's campaign in the Tressady and we've already pencilled in a few nice races in this preparation for her," Wilde told ACM Racing.

"It's bloody easy to make comments and be made look stupid, but I've got my fingers crossed that Plenty Of Ammo will measure up to Group 1 company.

"I'm hoping she's the one. I've never had many runners in the big Group 1s.

"Plenty Of Ammo has the most potential out of any horses that I've trained in my career.

"We'll be guided how she goes on Saturday, but I've already pencilled in a start in the $1.5 million Group 1 Australian Cup at Flemington on March 29.

"I'm quietly confident she's up to that class. Plenty Of Ammo hasn't done much wrong in her career - winning five of her eight starts."

The 45-year-old trainer, who has 60 horses in work at his Warrnambool stables, was unfazed by what appeared a lacklustre trial put in by Plenty Of Ammo at Geelong a fortnight ago as a lead into Saturday's race.

"I'm not too concerned about Plenty Of Ammo's trial at Geelong," Wilde said.

"She's not the best trackworker - she seems to save herself for race day.

"There was a pretty handy group of horses in her trial including Mr Brightside.

"Plenty Of Ammo has worked along well at home since that trial.

"She's feeling fit and strong within herself. I'm happy where she is at this stage of her preparation.

"She'll have four runs in this campaign and the Australian Cup is her grand final."

Wilde has called on the services of top jockey Mark Zahra to ride Plenty Of Ammo in Saturday's Tressady after regular jockey Jordan Childs has riding commitments at Randwick.

Interestingly, Wilde saddles up his other underrated mare Wishlor Lass for her first-up run in this campaign against Plenty Of Ammo and he believes she's ready to put in a forward showing in the Tressady.

"I would have to say Wishlor Lass is a bit more forward in her preparation than Plenty Of Ammo," he said.

"I've been really I'm impressed by her trackwork.

"I would have to say Wishlor Lass is the best of my two going into Saturday's race, but there's more improvement in Plenty Of Ammo going forward.

"We'll see how Wishlor Lass goes on Saturday.

"We may look at giving Wishlor Lass her next start in the Group 2 Blamey Stakes on March 1, but it all depends how she runs in the Tressady."

Jockey Jamie Melham has been booked to ride Wishlor Lass.

Melham is no stranger to Wishlor Lass - she rode the five-year-old to victory in a mares race at Sandown back in October 2023.

BET365 rates Plenty Of Ammo a $5 chance for Saturday's race, while her stablemate Wishlor Lass is an $8 hope.

The Michael Hickmott-trained Fancify is the $3.60 favourite for the 1400m contest - on the back of her first-up second placing at Sandown on February 1.

A top-class field of sprinters headlined by Growing Empire, Switzerland and Traffic Warden face the starter for the $1 million Group 1 Black Caviar Stakes down the famous Flemington straight on Saturday.

The Chris Waller-trained Switzerland is the $2.70 favourite with BET365 for the speed test over 1000m, while Growing Empire is a $4 chance and Traffic Warden is rated a $6.50 pop.

Waller appears to have all his bases loaded in Saturday's $300,000 Group 2 Apollo Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.

The former New Zealander saddles up five of the eight runners.

Top-class mare Via Sistina, who won the Turnbull Stakes, Cox Plate and MacKinnon Stakes in her last campaign for Waller, resumes in the Apollo Stakes.

Top jockey Kerrin McEvoy has been booked for Saturday's ride.

The imported mare is the $2 favourite with BET365 for the Apollo Stakes.