Yassy up for the fight

Trainer Yassy Nishitani will test lightly raced 3yo Streetfighter Vega this weekend, taking him to Moonee Valley on Saturday to contest a $150,000 race over 1200m.

Streetfighter Vega has raced only twice, finishing a respectable first-up fourth in the Gold Sovereign Stakes in Launceston on Cup Day last February before resuming with an all-the-way win over 1200m in Hobart last month.

On Saturday, Streetfighter Vega will start from barrier 8 in a field of 10 and will be ridden by Declan Bates.

"We nominated double Saturday/Sunday, and we have decided to take him over to see how he goes," Nishitani said.

"We have a high opinion, he has lots of ability, I thought his maiden win was good, and he started improving after that run.

"I will give him a short spell after Melbourne; he needs more racing experience."

Nishitani was also pleased with the effort of his 4yo Garçon D'espoir, who finished fourth in the $50,000 Ladbrokes Golden Mile in Devonport last Sunday.

"He wasn't suited by the pace, he wasn't comfortable, and he didn't finish off with the sit and sprint; he needed a little more sprint.

"He couldn't get the race in his favour, so we will tip him out and get him ready for the Devonport Cup Carnival."

It will be a busy weekend for the Nishitani stable. Besides Streetfighter Vega running in Melbourne, he also has Lyco Reco going around in the 2100m maiden/class 1 in Hobart on Sunday. Sakura Hime will tackle the 1400m maiden, and The Spirit Of Zero will contest the BM68 (1400m).

All three horses will be ridden by experienced Japanese jockey Shogo Nakano, who arrives in Tasmania after stints in Macau, Singapore and Selangor.