Trainer Mick Kent has revealed that he will set classy mare Abbey Marie for an appearance in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) during her forthcoming Spring Carnival campaign.
Abbey Marie will be set for the Group 1 Caulfield Cup in spring. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos
A Group 1 winner, Abbey Marie has been a strong and largely consistent performer throughout her entire racing career so far and will resume in spring with a commendable record of three wins through only seven competitive starts.
Having missed the 2016 Spring Carnival following several health ailments, before suffering a hamstring injury during the recent Autumn Carnival, Kent told AAP that the daughter of Redoute’s Choice has taken extremely well to her time away from competition and he is hopeful that she will build well towards an appearance in the Caulfield Cup.
“She ran really well in the race Foxplay won (Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes),” Kent said.
“She just had not much luck and it was very heavy ground.
“She’s had a good break, she’s come back and we’re sort of on a Caulfield Cup prep.
“We’d like to see her get to that distance. That’s where she’s going to be effective so we’ll just head along that route.
“She’s come up really well. I just hope she gets back to her best.”
Abbey Marie showed plenty of ability prior to her racing debut and stamped herself as a filly to follow when she comfortably defeated a notable field of horses in the Cove Hotel Maiden Plate (1300m) at Ladbrokes Park in March last year.
Repeating that effort in the JRA BM70 (1440m) at Caulfield a month later, Abbey Marie was sent off a $7 chance in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) at only her third career start, but mustered an impressive turn of foot in the final straight at Morphettville to beat Silent Sedition by half a length.
Clearly requiring a run when she resumed this year for eighth in the Group 3 Bellmaine Stakes (1200m), the mare out of Catshaan worked to the line well to finish fourth in the Group 3 Mannerism Stakes (1400m), in what was her only other start prior to her ill-fated run in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m).
Kiwi raider Bonneval is tied on the top line of early 2017 Caulfield Cup betting at Ladbrokes.com.au at a $17 quotes, alongside the likes of Egg Tart, Gingernuts and Hartnell.
