Caulfield Cup bound Text’n Hurley will kick off her Spring Carnival campaign in the Group 3 $150,000 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Text'n Hurley is set to kick off off her Caulfield Cup campaign in the Aurie's Star Handicap. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Text’n Hurley was one of the fifteen horses entered in the Group 3 sprint with the Victoria Racing Club extending nominations until 10am on Tuesday.
Caulfield trainer Colin Little mapped out a plan to run Text’n Hurley in the Group 1 $2.5m BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield on October 18 after the mare scored a comfortable win in the Group 2 $220,000 Sportingbet Sunline Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley in March.
“The owners have told me to aim her at the Caulfield Cup and they won the Cox Plate last year so they think it’s easy,” Little told the Herald Sun jokingly.
Text’n Hurley wasn’t pushed out by Damien Oliver when she trialled at Cranbourne yesterday on a heavy track, finishing sixth in the 990m hit out.
“She got beaten a long way, but she wasn’t pushed off the bit in those conditions and didn’t need to be bashed in that sort of ground,” Little said.
“We’ll see how she looks tomorrow and probably run her in the Aurie’s Star.”
“She’s got a great attitude and a good temperament.”
“I’d be pretty keen to give her two 2000m races going into a Caulfield Cup.”
The lightly raced mare’s Spring Carnival plans will probably include two runs over 2000m with a start in the Group 1 $500,000 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 4 a possibility.
Text’n Hurley worked her way up through the grades during the Autumn this year progressing from a restricted class mare to a Group 2 winner towards the end of the Melbourne Autumn Carnival with a win in the Sunline Stakes.
With five wins from twelve starts, the Hard Spun (USA) mare has earned over $366,000 for her connections.
In early Caulfield Cup markets at Ladbrokes.com.au, Text’n Hurley is marked as a $34 chance behind Group 1 Australian Oaks winner Rising Romance who has been installed the favourite at $13 just ahead of Crown Oaks winner Kirramosa, Vinery Stud Stakes winner Lucia Valentina and Sydney Cup winner The Offer all at $15.
