Barrier Draws Will Decide Karuta Queen’s Fate

Neville Layt’s Karuta Queen is the talk of the town this week as everybody demands to know where she will be running next.

The Not A Single Doubt filly has the option of running in either the Group 3 Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m) at Warwick Farm on Saturday or the Listed Black Opal at Canberra on Sunday.

Neville Layt has been harassed by numerous phone calls from both owners and trainers over the past few days who want to know which direction Karuta Queen will take.

“I reckon I’ve had more than a dozen calls from owners and trainers wanting to know what race she’ll be running in,” Layt said.

“I would love to tell them, but at this stage I don’t know myself.”

The freakishly talented youngster’s next race start will be decided once barrier draws are released later today.

“I’m going to accept for both races and see what barrier she gets and let the barrier answer the question.”

Karuta Queen, who remains unbeaten after winning her four previous races in stunning style, has failed to lose any fitness during her current spell.

“She flew out of the barriers in the trial and put four lengths in a couple of strides and won by 13 and a half lengths,” said her trainer.

Should Karuta Queen win on the weekend, she will further cement her position as one of the favourites for the Golden Slipper on April 2, 2011.

Karuta Queen is currently second favourite for the world’s richest race for two-year-olds, behind Peter Snowden’s Blue Diamond Stakes winner Sepoy.

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