Bloomingdale Miss stormed home to win the BMW Melbourne Handicap at Caulfield on Saturday. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Promising mare Bloomingdale Miss is a chance of returning to Group level for the first time since 2012 in the 2014 Bletchingly Stakes after she scored an impressive win in the BMW Melbourne Handicap (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Bloomingdale Miss was settled just behind the pace in the early stages of the BMW Melbourne Handicap and received a lovely run on the fence in transit, but looked as though she was struggling when she asked for an extra effort by jockey Daniel Moor at the 300 metre mark.
The Shamardal mare started to pick up with 150 metres left to run and she exploded in the last 75 minutes to score an impressive win from Hai Lil and Classy Chloe – in a performance that indicates that she may be even better when stepped up in trip.
Trainer Robert Smerdon admitted he had considered running Bloomingdale Miss in the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1200m) that was also run at Caulfield, but told TVN that he may opt to give the four-year-old another opportunity at Group level in the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on July 19.
“We were thinking about running her in the Monash here today, but we opted for the softer option,” Smerdon said.
“Maybe we’ll look at the Bletchingly in two weeks’ time if we get a wet track.
“She loves the wet and maybe we can get some Black Type there.”
Moor was riding Bloomingdale Miss for just the second time in her racing career and Smerdon paid credit to the ride, indicating that Bloomingdale Miss can be difficult to ride and has a tendency to lay in towards the fence.
The consistent hoop said that he was very happy with the way Bloomingdale Miss finished off the BMW Melbourne Handicap and he believes that the rising five-year-old could be in store for a big campaign.
“She showed a really good turn of foot,” Moor said.
“She’s been unlucky probably her last preparation really, she’s been posted wide and racing on speed, but today she had a lovely suck run and she was very effective late.”
Bloomingdale Miss made her racing debut in 2012 and after winning her second race start in the Karen Clements Handicap (1000m) at Caulfield, she was given an opportunity at black type level, but she failed to fire in the Listed Quezette Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield and the Group 3 Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m).
