Austmarr on a Healy Stakes mission

Speedy Godolphin galloper Austmarr returns to Eagle Farm for Saturday’s G3 W.J. Healy Stakes looking to atone for an unlucky defeat in the Listed Lightning Handicap three weeks ago.

The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained mare, who has run all her best races from in front, appeared to dwell slightly at the start in the Lightning and then overraced three-wide back in the field under jockey Kerrin McEvoy.

Austmarr turned for home in ninth place but was still able to accelerate when McEvoy found clear running and only just failed to overhaul the winner, Vodka Martini, in the final 50m of the 1,000m scamper.

Back to 1,200m on Saturday, and with a clean getaway from her ideal barrier one, Austmarr only needs to replicate her Rosehill Gardens victory three starts back to claim a third victory at Stakes level.

Austmarr burst from the gates at Rosehill and led all the way to win the G3 Birthday Card over 1,200m on 22 March with McEvoy in the saddle.

The daughter of Exosphere was then caught wide early when she tried to repeat that effort in the G1 Robert Sangster Stakes at Morphettville five weeks later before being beaten 4.6 lengths by Charm Stone.

Freshened-up prior to the Lightning, Austmarr again showed her quality with a great finish and, with even luck, must be one the leading Healy Stakes contenders on the limit weight.

Her performance could decide whether the five-time winner races on next season.

The Freedmans will also saddle-up promising three-year-old Trembles for Godolphin in the Sportsbet Race Previews Handicap over 1,000m at Caulfield.

A winner at Mornington and Sandown in recent weeks, the daughter of Too Darn Hot and former G1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Earthquake will be chasing her winning hat-trick with Jye McNeil in the saddle.