Stakes winning mare Amberino is on track to win her second Leilani Stakes after following the same path to the Moonee Valley event as a year ago.Trainer John Moloney said Saturday's 1500m race again looked ideal for the six-year-old as she would be carrying only two kilos more than when she won last year."She is pretty well placed under the set weight and penalty conditions and she is only going to be 2.5 kilograms above restricted class horses," Moloney said.Amberino was topweight last year wit
Stakes winning mare Amberino is on track to win her second Leilani Stakes after following the same path to the Moonee Valley event as a year ago.
Trainer John Moloney said Saturday's 1500m race again looked ideal for the six-year-old as she would be carrying only two kilos more than when she won last year.
"She is pretty well placed under the set weight and penalty conditions and she is only going to be 2.5 kilograms above restricted class horses," Moloney said.
Amberino was topweight last year with 55.5kg on a 54kg minimum and this year stands alone again at head of the weights with 57.5kg on a 55kg minimum.
While the race was opened up this year to three-year-old fillies on a 54kg minimum, none were nominated on Monday.
Amberino earned her weight increase for winning the Group Two Emancipation Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Anzac Day.
When official weights are released on Tuesday Causeway Queen, Pink Shimmer, Cocoa Tycoon, Swooper, Brolago and Dollops will all have 56.5kg for having won at least two city races.
Amberino made a late start to the spring after campaigning in Queensland during the winter where she was beaten less than four lengths finishing midfield in the Group One Winter Stakes (1400m) won by Russeting.
She carried 61kg when she was unplaced first up on Caulfield Cup Day before finishing fourth to Strawberry Field in the Herald-Sun Stakes at Flemington and third to Dane Julia and Rose Syrah in the Summoned Stakes (1500m) at Sandown.
Last year Amberino finished ninth in the Herald-Sun and fourth in the Summoned.
"Hopefully she is getting better with age," Moloney said.
"Her last two runs in Listed races have been very good and Rose Syrah just beat her both times and held that form last Saturday when she ran second in the Eclipse Stakes."
Damien Oliver will ride Amberino at Moonee Valley after partnering her at Flemington and Sandown.
Moloney is undecided about whether the Leilani Classic will be Amberino's grand final this campaign.
"She ran fourth in the Lord Stakes (1700m) at Caulfield on Boxing Day last year and she might run in that again," Moloney said.
"If not I will freshen her after this for the autumn."