Earth Angel (Aus) (Animal Kingdom), a 3-year-old daughter of the five-time Group 1 winner Miss Finland (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}), is back with trainers David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig after suffering a setback that saw her sit out the spring, according to Racing.com. Racing in the colours of her breeder Arrowfield Stud, Earth Angel was named a 'TDN Rising Star' after winning on debut at Ballarat in March, and she was fourth in the Listed Fernhill S. a month later in her only other start. Hayes told Racing.com the chestnut had been preparing for an autumn campaign when she kicked a wall and “went very sore behind.” She subsequently spent the spring at Arrowfield.
“She's been back with me a month, moving beautifully, I think the setback's been a bonus because she's always been a leggy filly, and she's got a bit stronger,” said David Hayes. “She'll be building up and be set for the big autumn 3-year-old races. She looks great.”
Miss Finland is shaping up into a very smart producer for Arrowfield, her fourth foal being the Hayes-trained G1 Thousand Guineas winner Stay With Me (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}), and Hayes went so far as to compare the lightly raced Earth Angel to her elder sister.
“We haven't pushed the button yet, but she's carrying herself brilliantly. She looks fantastic,” Hayes said. “I think she will hopefully be as good as Stay With Me, or better. I think she'll stay better than Stay With Me.”
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