Delicacy is proven Melbourne Spring Carnival contender

Super Perth filly Delicacy has proven that she is up to Melbourne Spring Carnival standard with a when she completed her second Oaks – Derby double with a blistering win in the Group 1 $500,000 South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville last Saturday.

Perth filly Delicacy looks likely to be set for the Melbourne Spring Carnival after her win in the South Australian Derby at Morphettville. Photo by Jenny Barnes.

Perth filly Delicacy looks likely to be set for the Melbourne Spring Carnival after her win in the South Australian Derby at Morphettville. Photo by Jenny Barnes.

The Grant Williams trained Al Maher filly collected her second Group 1 in eight days after winning Group 1 $400,000 Schweppes Oaks (registered as Australasian Oaks) (2000m) at Morphettville the previous week.

And before heading to Adelaide Delicacy was successful in taking out the Western Australian Oaks – Derby double at Ascot with victories in the Group 3 $250,000 Reliance Partners W.A. Oaks (2400m) and in the Group 2 $400,000 Schweppes W.A.T.C. Derby (2400m) during the Perth Autumn Carnival.

Prominent Perth owner Bob Peters said that he would talk to the Perth Handicap to see what sort of weight Delicacy would get in the major Spring handicaps, the Group 1 $3m Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield and the Group 1 $6m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington, before making a final decision on a Spring Carnival campaign.

“I haven’t made any firm plans with her yet. I’ll talk to our handicapper back in Perth and see how she’s going to be rated now. I think that might be a bit of a stopper but we’ll talk to him first,” Peters told The Advetiser.

“Up until yesterday afternoon, I hadn’t thought much about the Spring Carnival. But the way she seems to handle everything, she may go on with it.

“I suppose we have to try, don’t we.”

Peters had briefly considered sending Delicacy around again this Saturday in the Group 3 $115,000 SA Fillies Classic (2500m) at Morphettville but will more than likely send her for a well-deserved break.

“I think that’ll be it for her at this stage,” Peters said.

“We’ll just monitor her over the next few days and see how she pulls up.

“But I think unless she’s bucking her brands off we won’t be doing too much else with her.”

Following her South Australian Derby win Delicacy has been listed as a $16 chance for the Caulfield Cup and a $34 chance for the Melbourne Cup.

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.