Trainer Chris Waller has revealed that talented mare Royal Descent will have a maximum of four race starts during the 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
Royal Descent is set to return to racing in the Millie Fox Stakes at Rosehill Gardens on March 1. Photo by: Steve Hart
Royal Descent was the star staying filly of the 2013 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, winning the Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) by an incredible ten lengths, and she performed well during the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival.
The Redoute’s Choice mare was sent to the spelling paddock after finishing fifth in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) in October last year and made her first public appearance since returning to the stable when she was given a quiet barrier trial over 795 metres at Warwick Farm on Friday.
Waller said that he was happy with the trial performance of Royal Descent and confirmed that she was working towards a return to racing and a possible clash with stablemate Red Tracer in the Group 2 Millie Fox Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 1 before stepping back-up to Group 1 level for the Coolmore Classic (1500m) at the same venue.
A possible tilt at the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Royal Randwick on April 12 and the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at the same venue the following weekend is on the agenda for the Group 1 winning mare, but Waller said that he would like to keep the four-year-old over shorter distances during her autumn preparation.
“She has come back really good and she is in good shape for some nice races,” Waller said.
“She might even run in the Millie Fox first-up as well and she will run in the Coolmore second-up.
“She could possibly go on to the Doncaster and maybe the Queen Elizabeth.
“It will be a pretty light autumn for her and we will keep her to the shorter distances and we will attack in the spring over the longer distances again when she will be bigger and stronger.”
Royal Descent was well backed by punters throughout her spring campaign, but was unable to record a race win after being narrowly denied victories in the Group 3 Toy Show Quality (1300m), the Group 3 Tramway Stakes (1400m) and the Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m).
The Coolmore Classic is one of the few races during the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival that Waller has been unable to win in recent years; with Red Tracer narrowly denied victory by Appearance in the 2013 edition of the race.
