![Flying For Fun will head to Caulfield for the Schillaci Stakes after an eye-catching return in The Shorts at Randwick. [Bradley Photos]](https://betsy.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/2267854.jpg)
A desire to keep Flying For Fun to shorter distances for now has prompted Bryce Heys to focus his attention on Melbourne and a shot at the Schillaci Stakes.
The dual black-type winner is set to be nominated for Saturday’s 1100m Caulfield sprint after resuming with an eye-catching effort behind Mazu in The Shorts (1100m) when she steamed home from the back of the field in a leader dominated race.
While Heys wasn’t necessarily looking to head south so soon, he said he didn’t want to extend the mare to 1200m at this point of her campaign, hence the reason he skipped Saturday’s Premiere Stakes (1200m) at Randwick and opted to focus on the Schillaci Stakes (1100m) a week later.
“I don’t want to go to 1200 yet with her,” Heys said.
“I’m not scared to do it, but she’s very explosive early in her ‘prep’ and I just wanted to keep her at 1000 or 1100, especially for her second-up run
“I’m probably forced to go to Melbourne and three weeks between runs is ideal, so she’ll probably run in the Schillaci.
“I feel we’ve got a good handle on her in terms of when she really excels, and when we’ve kept her short at her first couple of runs, it has set her up well for 1200 at the end of her prep.”
Flying For Fun is by Heys’ former top sprinter Spieth and is proven in the reverse direction having placed at Group 3 level at Flemington last spring and been luckless in both the Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) and Goodwood (1200m) in Adelaide earlier this year.
She finished 1-1/2 lengths from Mazu in The Shorts as a $51 chance, just behind Everest contenders Spicy Martini and Headwall, and Heys wasn’t surprised to see her perform so well.
“That day was the first time, physically, that she didn’t look out of place in one of those bigger races,” Heys said.
“It’s a shame we didn’t draw a bit softer to give her a better run, but in saying that, she acquitted herself very well so she’s in a good spot. She has improved every prep.
“They were all entitled to run home quick, but she obviously ran home very quick, and she’s come through the run well.”
