VICTORIAN horsewoman Emma Stewart is expected to have no trouble establishing another record on Saturday night.
As it stands, Stewart’s resume is already crammed with ‘firsts’ such as becoming the first female trainer to register 200 wins in a season, first female trainer to land five wins at a Melton meeting, first female to prepare five winners on a Victorian program and being the first female to win the Victorian and Metropolitan Trainers’ Premierships.
Stewart also holds the national record for the most Group One triumphs by a female trainer, shares the Australian record for the most wins at a meeting and owns the status for having trained the most winners at a Victorian metropolitan meeting.
As for her pending shot at history, Stewart is aiming to become the first trainer to win the initial three editions of a Group One for two-year-olds.
Stewart’s quest will take place at Globe Derby as she takes shot at a hat-trick in The Allwood.
The Sales-based series is in its third year, with Stewart winning the first two editions with Pandering and Treachery.
This time around Stewart will be represented by Encipher, which registered a gusty heat victory after racing in the ‘death seat’.
Drawn barrier two, the daughter of Captaintreacherous slots into the pole with the removal of the emergency.
TAB Fixed Odds have reacted to Encipher’s debut success and draw by listing her as a $1.12 favourite.
Interestingly the emergency – Elegant - is the second elect at $4.20, with her Geoff Webster-prepared stablemate, Dougs Diva, on the next line of betting at $5.50.
Dougs Diva, which led and finished second behind Encipher, will come from gate four.
No other runner is under double figures.
South Australian-bred reinswoman Kate Gath will make the trip home to drive Encipher, replacing Allan McDonough who partnered the filly in her heat.
“It’s been a pretty good series for us during the past couple of years,” Stewart said. “We’ve had a pretty high rate of success with the heat and Finals.
“Hopefully that can continue to be the case on Saturday night.
“We were very happy with her heat run, which was also her first time to the races, and she has trained on impressively during the week.
“From the draw she is going to be very hard to beat.”
