Another win by Aegean Sea at Rosehill on Saturday could see the Clarry Conners trained two year old secure a start in the 2015 Group 1 $3.5m Tooheys New Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill in March.
Aegean Sea could secure a start in the Golden Slipper with another win at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.
Aegean Sea earned $48,750 plus $20,000 in Bobs bonuses for winning on debut over 1000m on the Kensington track at Randwick on November 22 and another winning cheque on Saturday in the 2yo Plate over 1100m would see her eligible prizemoney double to $97,500.
The Beneteau filly would also earn another $20,000 Bobs bonus, but they are not counted in Golden Slipper ballot consideration.
Conners is recognised as a master two year old trainer, as his record shows, with four Golden Slipper wins to his credit – Tierce in 1991, Burst the following year, Prowl in 1998 and Belle Du Jour in 2000.
Saturday’s Rosehill meeting was originally scheduled to be run on the Kensington track at Randwick but was transferred after the Kensington track had to undergo urgent repairs and will now be out of action for a couple of months.
Following the November 22 meeting on the Kensington track when the surface proved to be below standard, the Australian Turf Club decided to move this week’s program to the Randwick course proper but that was quashed when it was established that it hadn’t completely recovered from it’s own remedial work.
“They did the remedial work in two sections, the inside nine metres first and the outside nine metres a week later because we had to move a meeting on November to the course proper from the ‘Kenso’,” chief steward Ray Murrihy told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“The outside section would not be ready to race [in parts] and would have presented an uneven surface. At this time of year another week as was planned will give the right racing surface for Villiers day.”
The transfer to Rosehill has meant that some race distances had to be altered and the 2yo Plate race is now 1100m, not 1000m as programmed.
The extra distance is a minor concern for Conners who had to tinker with the work program of Aegean Sea to have her fit enough to run the extra 100m.
“I had prepared her for two 1000m races so it is not ideal she has to go to 1100m,” Conners said.
“But all it means is that I’ll have to give her more work on the track this week.”
Aegean Sea is the only one of the nine two year olds entered on Saturday that has been to the races and is certainly looks the one to beat again.
The Bart and James Cummings trained Aspen Star, Ready Already from the Gai Waterhouse stable, Voilier trained by Gary Nickson and Sam Kavanagh’s Invincible Dame have all won barrier trials.
