Dear Demi to head straight to Melbourne for Spring Carnival

Crown Oaks winner Dear Demi will head straight to Melbourne for the Spring Carnival after she contests a barrier trial at Warwick Farm on Friday.

dear demi

Dear Demi and Jim Cassidy winning the 2012 Crown Oaks at Flemington. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

The Clarry Connors trained mare will be aimed towards all the major feature races including the Group 1 $2.65m BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield, the Group 1 $3m Sportingbet Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley and the Group 1 $6.2m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 5.

“She is entered in the big races – the Caulfield Cup and the Cox Plate – and she will be entered for the Melbourne Cup,” Connors told AAP.

Dear Demi will line up in a star studded trial on Friday which includes Group 1 winners, the Guy Walter trained  Appearance and Chris Waller’s pair Beaten Up and Hawkspur.

Conners will then ship the Dehere mare to Melbourne to prepare for her Spring Carnival debut in the Group 2 $220,000 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) for mares at Flemington on September 7.

Jim Cassidy will be back aboard Dear Demi on Friday and will have first refusal for the Let’s Elope mount.

“She will have an easy trial on Friday before heading to Melbourne,” Conners said.

“Jim Cassidy will ride her in the trial and has first refusal on her depending on what his commitments in Sydney are.

“The Let’s Elope is the starting point.”

Cassidy was aboard Dear Demi in her lead up to the pair winning the Group 1 $1m Crown Oaks (2500m) at Flemington in November last Spring and remained her regular partner until being beaten ten lengths by Royal Descent in the Group 1 $550,000 Patinack Farm Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick in April.

The Grand Slam winning jockey then missed out on the rides during the Brisbane Winter Carnival which saw her collect one win in the Group 3 $175,000 Hidden Dragon The Roses (2000m) at Doomben on May 18 for Luke Nolen.

Premiership winning jockey Nash Rawiller then took over the reins in the Group 1 $400,000 XXXX Gold Queensland Oaks (2400m) at Eagle Farm on June 1 but could only manage to finish seventh to Gondokoro after being sent out the $2.90 favourite.

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.