North Melbourne premiership player John Cassin will be barracking for Fillydelphia when she arrives in Melbourne next month.

Brisbane’s premier trainer Rob Heathcote reports the Bianconi mare is ready to resume racing in the next few weeks.

Fillydelphia (4m Bianconi – Edel Vanessa by Encosta de Lago) was a G3 winner of the Rough Habit Plate (2020m) at Doomben in May.  “I’m sure she can measure up to those good races for mares in Melbourne,” Heathcote said on Friday.  “She’s working well and only has to fire first-up in Brisbane to warrant the trip down south.”

Cassin’s mare Slyanna (Shovhog) is a half-sister to Edel Vanessa and he will send her to Bianconi this year to breed a three-quarter relation to Fillydelphia.

Slyanna won races at Seymour, Wangaratta and Wodonga for Cassin before retiring to stud.  She has already foaled fillies to Greta West Stud stallion Man of Illusion (Encosta de Lago).

Slyanna carried Cassin’s blue and white striped silks and he also wore those colours in North Melbourne’s famous 1977 Grand Final replay victory over Collingwood.

Cassin played under legendary coach Ron Barassi at Arden Street and won a flag alongside Kangaroo greats David Dench, Malcolm Blight, Wayne Schimmelbusch, Barry Cable and Brent Crosswell.

Bianconi (Danzig) has sired more Victorian bred winners (283) than any other active stallion standing in the Super VOBIS State.  He is available at a $8,500 (inc gst) service fee at Swettenham Stud this year.