Miss Cover Girl at long odds to win back to back Tattersall’s Tiaras

Eagle Farm trained mare Miss Cover Girl is at long odds to score back to back wins in Saturday’s Group 1 $500,000 Sky Racing Tattersall’s Tiara (1350m) at Doomben.

Miss Cover Girl, above, is at long odds to score back to back wins in the Tattersall's Tiara at Doomben. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Miss Cover Girl, above, is at long odds to score back to back wins in the Tattersall’s Tiara at Doomben. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Miss Cover Girl hasn’t visited the winner’s stall since collecting the major prize at $21 in last year’s Tattersall’s Tiara which was run at Eagle Farm over 1400m and is currently marked at $51 to join Bonanova as the only mare to win the Group 1 for the fillies and mares in successive years.

The Grahamme Begg trained Bonanova won the Tattersall’s Tiara in 1999 and 2000 when it was known as the Winter Stakes run over 1500m at Group 3 level at Eagle Farm.

This year’s Tattersall’s Tiara was originally programmed to be run over 1400m at Eagle Farm but was transferred to Doomben with the distance being reduced to 1350m after the Eagle Farm track failed to race up to expectation following its redevelopment.

Trainer Kelly Schweida prepared Miss Cover Girl to win last year’s Tattersall’s Tiara and has retained the mare in his stables after she was sold for $500,000 at the recent Magic Millions National Broodmare Sales at the Gold Coast.

“I thought she’d bring more at the sale and I was given her to train for the Hinkler and Tiara,” Schweida told Racing Queensland News.

Schweida said that he was unsure what the new owners’ plans were for Miss Cover Girl after she runs in the Tattersall’s Tiara on Saturday.

“I have to speak to her new owners about what happens after the Tatt’s Tiara,” Schweida said.

Miss Cover Girl raced in the first half of the field when fifteenth to Eckstein in the Group 3 $150,000 Glenlogan Park Stakes (1300m) at Eagle Farm on May 27 but ran slightly better last start when ninth, after being hampered in the straight, to Miss Gunpowder in the Listed $100,000 Makers Mark Hinkler Handicap (1200m) at Doomben on June 10.

“It was a ripper of a run and she had no luck at all down the straight,” Schweida said.

“I’m happy the way she’s going and she’s trained on well.”

Miss Cover Girl was out of favour at the barrier draw, coming up with fifteen, but could jump from gate twelve if all the emergencies fail to gain a start and Schweida admits that the Monashee Mountain mare will need plenty of luck from the wide draw.

“She had an awkward barrier last year but it was at Eagle Farm then,” Schweida said.

“She’s got another bad draw this time and it’s at Doomben so I’m just hoping for a bit of luck.”

Stradbroke Handicap runner up In Her Time sits at the top of the Tattersall’s Tiara market order at $3.30 at Ladbrokes.com.au ahead of the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained filly Prompt Response at $6.

Bjorn Baker’s smart mare Bonny O’Reilly and Glenlogan Park Stakes winner Eckstein share the next line of betting at $9.50.

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.