Blinkers to sharpen Miller contender
Simon Miller has made a critical gear change, adding blinkers to Miss Rose De Lago for Saturday's $150,000 RJ Peters Stakes (1500m) at Ascot.
The Ascot trainer removed the blinkers from the four-year-old mare this campaign in the hope she would settle better during her races.
Miss Rose De Lago ran second behind Danablue first-up over 1200m on September 27, before dead-heating with Wroughted over 1300m at her next start.
A week later the daughter of Encosta De Lago chased home Fuchsia Bandana in the Listed Northerly Stakes (1400m).
Miss Rose De Lago must win the Peters to guarantee a start in the Carlton Draught Railway Stakes (1600m) on Saturday week.
She is currently 27th in the order of entry.
Miss Rose De Lago was ridden by race rider Peter Knuckey and wore blinkers when she beat Petrol Power and Inok in a 1000m Belmont trial on Monday.
"I think she is more effective with the blinkers on and I just wanted to give her a practice in the gear," Miller said. "She pulled up really good from the trial."
Miller has Platinum Rocker qualified for the Railway.
The veteran mare, runner-up in the race last year, topped off her lead-up with a solid third behind Magnifisio in last Saturday's Lee-Steere Stakes (1400m).
Miller has freshened Fuld's Bet for a shot at Saturday week's Placid Ark Stakes (1200m) after dropping plans to run her in Saturday's Champion Fillies Stakes (1600m).
"Platinum Rocker is now definitely looking for the mile and the 1800m," Miller said.
"Fuld's Bet is a big filly and I found after she missed a trial I was always chasing my tail with her."
