Trainer John Sargent has confirmed that 2013 Crown Oaks winner Kirramosa will return to the races in the Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on August 9.
Kirramosa has not been seen at the races since she took out the Crown Oaks in November last year. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Kirramosa has not been seen at the races since her tough win over Zanbagh and Solicit in the Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m) at Flemington on November 7 last year, after missing the 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival due to injury, but convinced Sargent that she was ready for a return to racing with a strong piece of trackwork this morning.
Sargent told TVN that Kirramosa would take part in an exhibition gallop between races at Royal Randwick on Saturday before heading into the Missile Stakes, where he believes the daughter of Alamosa can be more than competitive.
“It looks a nice race for her to kick off in, she will be quite fresh and should sprint well,” Sargent said.
“Tommy Berry came out and worked her this morning and was very pleased.
“Hopefully we can get to Melbourne with her again this spring.
“We could have tried to push her to be right for the Brisbane winter carnival but after having three months off we decided it would be best to take the patient approach and give her every opportunity of being right for the spring.
“All seems to be going to plan at this point and I’m very pleased.”
Tommy Berry steered Kirramosa to victory in the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on November 2 during the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival and he was impressed with the feel that the rising four-year-old gave him at trackwork this morning; with the leading hoop also confident that the versatile filly will be able to sprint well fresh in the Missile Stakes.
“She was pretty fresh, which is understandable because she is heading to the Missile Stakes,” Berry said.
“She only breezed up three furlongs this morning, but I’d say she is a lot more switched on this preparation.”
Kirramosa is set to have a lengthy 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign; with Sargent revealing last month that the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 18 and the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 4 would be the major targets for the Crown Oaks winner.
Sargent is chasing his first win in the Caulfield Cup after missing the placings on three occasions with Red Ruler.
Kirramosa ($15) is currently on the second line of the 2014 Caulfield Cup betting market with Ladbrokes Australia and is available at 2014 Melbourne Cup odds of $26.
