Trainer Clarry Connors has revealed that he will scratch Dear Demi from the 2014 Toy Show Quality if the Royal Randwick track is hit by any more rain in the next 24 hours.
Dear Demi could be removed from the 2014 Toy Show Quality that will be run at Royal Randwick tomorrow. Photo by: Steve Hart
Dear Demi did not perform at her best during the 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, but impressed with her performances in two barrier trials heading into the Group 3 Toy Show Quality (1300m).
The Dehere mare defeated the likes of Rebel Dane, Laser Hawk and Bull Point in a barrier trial over 800 metres at Warwick Farm on July 25 and she scored a comfortable one lengths win in a trial over 1000 metres at Hawkesbury on August 11.
Connors told Sky Racing HQ that he is delighted with the condition of Dear Demi heading into the Toy Show Quality and is confident that she can be competitive over 1300 metres, but the veteran trainer does not want to give the five-year-old a testing first-up run on a heavy surface.
“If we happened to have more rain and it gets worse than we won’t run and we will take her straight to Melbourne,” Connors said.
“She can handle a slow track, but first-up I don’t want to run her on a heavy.
“She is just a lovely mare, she is a lovely mare to train and this whole prep everything has been fine.
“I have trained her a little bit different, a bit sharper and I am as happy as I could be.
“She is 100 percent, but it is just the track.
“If it improves a fair bit I would be very happy to run her.
“It is just going to come down to how the track is and there are a couple of other people that are in the same situation as I am – they don’t want to run their horse first-up on a very heavy track.”
Dear Demi has been placed first-up in the 2011 Magic Millions Wyong Classic (1100m), the 2012 Group 3 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m), the 2013 Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) and the 2014 Group 3 Wiggle Stakes (1400m), but she has never started a preparation with a race win.
Dear Demi is currently available at 2014 Toy Show Quality odds of $8.50; with Team Snowden-trained Gypsy Diamond ($3.60) a clear favourite from Lucia Valentina ($6) and Diamond Drille ($7).
