Leading Melbourne trainer Peter Moody expects racegoers to see a much improved filly when Bring Me The Maid steps out in the Group 2 $175,000 Coolmore Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Bring Me The Maid will resume in the Silver Shadow Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Bring Me The Maid is having he first run back after a winter spell in Queensland and Moody is pleased with the way she has developed during the break.
“She has grown and developed but I feel there is still more ahead of her,’’ Moody told The Daily Telegraph.
“I had not seen her for about 12 days until (Tuesday) morning and I was really pleased with the way she has come along.
“I’m very happy with her. She had a nice gallop with Better Land on the ‘Kenso’ and both worked super.’’
Stablemate Better Land will be going around against the colts and geldings in the Group 3 $125,000 Synergy FX Up and Coming Stakes (1300m) and the prospect of the three year olds facing a wet track has no concerns for Moody.
“Better Land and Bring Me The Maid both handle it so they will run,” Moody said.
The Randwick track was still rated a heavy 8 on Friday morning with more showers predicted for the Sydney area leading into the weekend.
Bring Me The Maid proved during the Sydney Autumn Carnival that wet tracks are not a problem with a win in the Group 2 $175,000 IRT Magic Night Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on March 29 on a heavy 8 and a third behind Mossfun and Earthquake in the Group 1 $3.5m Tooheys New Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on April 5.
Moody will also saddle up Clover Lane in the Silver Shadow Stakes but admits the O’Reilly filly is facing a tough task after finishing third against the fillies at Bendigo on August 13.
A rematch between the Golden Slipper placegetters is looking unlikely with Godolphin head trainer John O’Shea not keen to run Earthquake first up on a heavy track.
“John is reluctant to give them a testing hit-out first-up given that their targets are a lot deeper into the spring,” Godolphin Racing Manager Jason Walsh said.
“We will reserve that judgment until the morning, but at this stage it is unlikely.”
Luke Nolen will be having his first ride on Bring Me The Maid after regular rider Chad Schofield incurred a one month suspension for careless riding at Caulfield last Saturday.
Schofield is keen to be reunited with Bring Me The Maid and has lodged an appeal, to be heard early next week, against the severity of the suspension.
Bring Me The Maid is currently the $3.60 second pick for the Silver Shadow Stakes with Ladbrokes.com.au but that could change in the morning if $1.90 favourite Earthquake is a race day scratching because of the wet track conditions.
Next in the market order is Earthquake’s stablemate Memorial at $7 ahead of the Gary Nickson trained Alpha Miss at $13.
