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Classy Hawkesbury mare Spright is heading back to Melbourne for a first-up tilt at the $500,000 Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield on February 23.

Trainer Garry Frazer confirmed his plans for Spright after the mare’s excellent barrier trial win at Rosehill on Tuesday.

Signalling another successful campaign is in store, Spright won her 1000m heat for Group and Listed horses on the course proper in 58.71 seconds, running the last 600m in a slick 33.30 seconds.

Behind her were some big names, but none bigger then champion mare Winx who closed off late to finish third in the trial (see below).

With Kerrin McEvoy aboard, Spright settled fourth before she moved up strongly wide on the turn. In the last 100m she edged past leader Cool Passion with Winx running home for a hard-held third.

“Probably the best she has ever trialled,” was Frazer’s summation of Spright’s effort.

“She proved in Melbourne last spring that she can mix it with the best, so why not have a crack at the Oakleigh Plate.

“Kerrin is riding at Caulfield that day at the Blue Diamond Stakes meeting and is keen to stay with her.”

Frazer said Spright will trial again in Sydney before heading to Melbourne.

McEvoy has partnered Spright, a triple G3 winner and G1 placegetter, in three races for two wins including a blistering win at the 2016 Melbourne Cup carnival at Flemington in the Red Roses Stakes when she was a three-year-old.

Now five, Spright has started 24 times for five wins and seven placing, earning $747,925 with some her most notable performances being on interstate excursions.

She won last year’s the G3 Healy Stakes (1200m) at Doomben last June and in the spring was a fast-finishing third to Viddora in the G1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley in September.

She then turned in another terrific Melbourne performance when a close fourth to Brave Smash in the G1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on October 26.

Spright was spelled after finishing seventh in the G1 VRC Classic (1200m) at Flemington on November 10.

Another Hawkesbury-trained star Sandbar finished second in the other Group and Listed heat over 1000m at Rosehill on Tuesday and he may also be heading to Melbourne for his first-up race.

It was the second Rosehill trial this month for the three-year-old with trainer Brad Widdup favouring the Rubiton Stakes over 1100m at Caulfield as his first-up assignment.

Sandbar, raced by Widdup’s major client Damion Flower’s Jadeskye Racing, is unbeaten in two previous first-up assignments.

He hasn’t raced since finishing second to Queensland three-year-old Sesar in the G2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) on a heavy Randwick surface in October.

looked superb in her trial this morning . pic.twitter.com/RPP1mZSTxN

— Sky Racing January 28, 2019