Commanding Jewel No Certainty To Contest Tattersall’s Tiara

Trainer Leon Corstens has revealed that Commanding Jewel will not run in the 2014 Tattersall’s Tiara at Eagle Farm next Saturday unless he is 100 percent satisfied with the condition of the talented mare.

Commanding Jewel has not been seen at the races since she took out the Let's Elope Stakes during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival.

Commanding Jewel has not been seen at the races since she took out the Let's Elope Stakes during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Commanding Jewel took part in an exhibition gallop before the opening race at Moonee Valley on Saturday and Corstens told RSN this morning that he is still not happy with the fitness levels of the Commands mare that has not been seen at the races since she took out the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on September 7 last year.

“I was a little bit disappointed,” Corstens said.

“She recovered all right afterwards, but she had a good blow just after her workout and it worried me a little bit.

“I thought that I would have her a little bit fitter than she is at this stage.

“She has been off the scene for a long time and she has just taken quiet some well to come to hand.”

The Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 21 has been on the agenda for Commanding Jewel for several months, but Corstens said that he will need to see improvement in the fitness levels of the Thousand Guineas winner to commit to a trip to Queensland next Saturday.

“I am under no pressure at all from the owners and if I was not 100 percent happy with her we would just take it easy with her for a few weeks and then head towards the spring,” Corstens said.

“I would have to be 100 percent happy to go up there and contest that race.

“I just think that she needs to pull up a little bit better in the wind and she would want another really good hit out before she heads over there.

“I will know before this Friday.”

Commanding Jewel, a three-quarters sister to glamour mare Atlantic Jewel, has been restricted to just seven race starts since making her racing debut with a win in the Heart Of The Murray Plate (975m) at Swan Hill on August 13, but has already stamped herself as a valuable broodmare prospect by taking out the 2012 Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) and 2013 Let’s Elope Stakes.

Nominations for the Tattersall’s Tiara will be released next Monday before the final field and barrier draw is announced on Wednesday.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.