Cox Plate or Caulfield Cup Spring options for Yankee Rose

Trainer David Vandyke will wait until well into Yankee Rose’s 2017 Spring Carnival campaign before deciding if she will tackle the Cox Plate or the Caulfield Cup.

Yankee Rose, above, will have the option of running in either the Cox Plate or the Caulfield Cup during the 2017 Spring Carnival. Photo by Steve Hart.

Yankee Rose, above, will have the option of running in either the Cox Plate or the Caulfield Cup during the 2017 Spring Carnival. Photo by Steve Hart.

Vandyke is preparing Yankee Rose to kick off her Spring campaign in the Group 1 $1m Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on September 2 and then head to the Group 1 $500,000 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington.

Yankee Rose’s next run in the Group 1 $500,000 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington will determine which way Vandyke will head for the remainder of the Spring Carnival.

Yankee Rose’s performances in those races will help Vandyke decide if the mare continues on a weight for age path and heads to the Group 1 $3m Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 28 or test her out under the handicap conditions and step her up in distance to the Group 1 $3m BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield on October 21.

“I would like to start in the Memsie and go to the Makybe Diva two weeks later over a mile and then the Turnbull and then we will assess whether we go to the Cox Plate or the Caulfield Cup from there,” Vandyke told RSN’s Racing Pulse.

Vandyke was forced to give Yankee Rose an extended spell after she had surgery to remove a bone chip from her near side knee following her lacklustre performance when fourteenth to Lasqueti Spirit in the Group 1 $1m Crown Oaks (2500m) at Flemington during the 2016 Melbourne Cup Carnival.

“The operation was about a week and a half after that run (Crown Oaks), we got her in quite quickly,” Vandyke said.

“The operation was successful and she had a month’s box rest, a month in a small yard and a month in a paddock and we have had her back at the stable since then.”

“Bringing her up nice and slowly, plenty of swimming and she looks good.”

Vandyke has to dismiss Yankee Rose’s performance over a staying trip in the Crown Oaks after pulling up sore and will give her every chance to prove that she could step out to the 2400m of the Caulfield Cup.

“I think she could a possible Caulfield Cup contender but we are not sure if she gets past 2000m at this stage,” Vandyke said.

“Her only opportunity was in the Oaks and chipped a bone in her knee and didn’t pull up well.”

“She is out of a half to a Derby winner and she has given us every indication that she will get further than 2000m so we are just going to keep out options open and just reassess her after she runs in the Turnbull.”

Yankee Rose has performed well at the highest level during her two year old and three year old seasons with a win in the Group 1 Group 1 $1m Inglis Sires’ (1400m) at Randwick during the 2016 Sydney Autumn Carnival followed by a win in the Group 1 $500,000 Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick in the Spring.

Yankee Rose was also tested at weight for age with a third to Winx in the 2016 Group 1 $3m Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley.

In early betting for the 2017 Cox Plate at Ladbrokes.com.au, Yankee Rose is listed as a $34 chance while in the Caulfield Cup she is marked at $26.

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.