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Group 3 winner to tackle Vinery Stud Stakes

New Zealand Group 3 winner Force Of Will (Power) has arrived in Sydney ahead of her tilt in the Vinery Stud Stakes (registered as Storm Queen Stakes) (Gr 1, 2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday. 

The Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained filly is still finding her feet after flying over to Sydney on Monday, but her connections are confident she will settle in well ahead of her weekend assignment.

“She arrived yesterday evening. She went for a trot and canter this morning and she is sound,” O’Sullivan told SENtrack.

“She didn’t eat a lot of food last night, but it’s still early days yet and hopefully in 24 hours on she will be far happier. She looks very well in herself, but it’s all very new to her at the moment.”

The Sir Owen Glenn-bred and raced filly has won four of her five starts to date, including the Desert Gold Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) at Trentham in January.

The daughter of Power (Oasis Dream) was scratched from the Waikato Guineas (Gr 2, 2000m) last month after her trainers weren’t happy with the routine bloods taken from her a couple of days prior.

She has since bounced back and subsequently won at Ellerslie earlier this month.

This will be the first time the Force Of Will has been tested at 2000 metres and O’Sullivan is hopeful she will have no issues with the step up in distance. 

“She has been one of those fillies that keeps improving,” he said. “The big unknown for us is running further than a mile, especially on her pedigree side. She is by Power, who don’t tend to look to run over a trip, but she is out of a staying family on the dam side.”

Meanwhile, Force Of Will’s stablemate Rocket Spade (Fastnet Rock) is set to join Force Of Will in Sydney next week as he gets prepared to line-up in the Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2400m).

The New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) winner pleased his connections with his win over 1600 metres at Tauranga on Saturday and they believe he is on track for the Derby.

“He has pulled up well and ate up everything on the evening of the race and hasn’t left an oat since,” O’Sullivan said. “We plan to travel him over in six days’ time, on the Monday, and then into the big one.

“He is a very sound horse and he has continued to train on well.”