Multiple Group One winner going strong as a sprightly 24yo

BOOM mare Captains Mistress is an odds-on favourite to break a Chariots Of Fire drought for members of the 'fairer sex' this weekend.

Undefeated from five starts for prominent trainer Jason Grimson, Captains Mistress is a $1.04 TAB Fixed Odds hot shot in Australasia's premier four-year-old event at Club Menangle on Saturday night.

Poised to be the first mare to contest the Group One in five years, the daughter of Captaintreacherous is aiming to become the first to upstage the 'boys' since Innocent Eyes in 2006.

Lombo Rapida in 2000 and Oaxaca Lass in 2003 are the only other mares on the honour roll.

Captains Mistress qualified for the $250,000 major by securing last week's Paleface Adios Stake in a slick 1:48.9.

Successful in the Hondo Grattan Stake a fortnight ago, Double Lou is considered the main danger at $9.50 from the pole.

To be driven by Cameron Hart, Captains Mistress has drawn well in barrier three - a much better starting position than Innocent Eyes, which began from the outside of the front row.

With the late champion reinsman Gavin Lang in the cart, Innocent Eyes raced three-wide without cover from the bell to score from Emmas Only and Make Me Smile.

Despite her extremely tough run, the daughter of Safely Kept rated a race record 1:57.6 over 2160 metres around Harold Park.

"She travelled three-deep for two laps and was as brave as it gets," owner Bryan Cousins recalled. "Gavin weaved magic the year before to win the Australian Oaks after being trapped three-back on the fence, but in the Chariots Of Fire, she just simply outmuscled them.

"She won some nice races, but the Chariots Of Fire was her best."

Still "in very good health" as a sprightly 24-year-old, Innocent Eyes enjoys her days relaxing in a Pinjarra paddock.

A quadruple Group One winner, Innocent Eyes was retired with 18 wins and 27 placings from 62 starts for earnings of $421,875.

She was crowned Australian Three-Year-Old Filly of the Year in 2005 and Mare of the Year in 2006.

Producing three winners from four starters as a broodmare, Innocent Eyes is the grand dam of 2022 Chariots Of Fire runner-up, Bondi Lockdown.

"She shares a paddock with a few other mares and is in very good health," Cousins said. "She is as nice a horse as you could find."