Commanding Jewel’s return put back a week

Commanding Jewel won’t run at Caulfield on Saturday with trainer Leon Corstens electing to wait another week for the Thousand Guineas winner’s long awaited return to the racetrack.

commanding jewel

Commanding Jewel winning the 2012 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

Corstens had nominated Commanding Jewel for the Group 3 $150,000 W W Cockram Stakes (1200m) but has elected to kick off her Spring Carnival campaign next week at Moonee Valley in a 1000m Listed race.

Commanding Jewel went around in a Flemington jump out last Friday on a heavy track with Damien Oliver aboard and Cortsens was all set to saddle her up this week.

But a change of heart will she the Commands mare spend another week at home in her stable.

“She’s not running. I don’t think she’s quite ready,” Corstens told AAP.

“If she happened to strike a heavy track it might bust her and we’ve got a long spring ahead. We’ll take little steps.”

Even though Corstens is pleased with her progress to date, he didn’t want to risk her on an anticipated wet track on Saturday.

“I’m really pleased with her,” Corstens said.

“She’s matured a hell of a lot.”

Commanding Jewel, a three-quarter sister to the unbeaten mare Atlantic Jewel, hasn’t raced since winning the Group 1 $500,000 Schweppes Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield last October.

The then three year old filly made a meteoric rise up through the ranks and after winning a 1200m fillies race at Moonee Valley, Corstens took on the tougher Spring races.

She ran second to Lady Of Harrods in the Group 3 $150,000 Schweppes Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield and followed that up with a third to Maybe Discreet in the Group 2 $250,000 TAB Edward Manifold Stakes (1610m) at Flemington before collecting the major prize in the Thousand Guineas.

The Group 1 $3m Sportingbet Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 26 is well and truly on the radar for Commanding Jewel and Corstens will have a clearer Spring program after her first up run next week.

Commanding Jewel is currently a $34 chance in the Cox Plate which sees last season’s top three year old It’s A Dundeel the early favourite at $5 in front of the Mark Kavanagh pair of Super Cool at $6 and Atlantic Jewel at $8.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.