Miss Cover Girl might be one of the outsiders of the field in the Group 1 $500,000 Sky Racing Tattersall’s Club Tiara (1400m) but trainer Kelly Schweida is expecting her to still be competitive at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
The Monashee Mountain mare is listed as a $26 chance at Ladbrokes.com.au and the prospect of a soft track has given Schweida some confidence of causing an upset.
“On her recent form she’ll be very competitive,” Schweida said.
Schweida put the blinkers on Miss Cover Girl at the beginning of this campaign and she responded with a first up second to Eloping in the Listed $150,000 Better Than Ready Silk Stocking (1200m) at the Gold Coast on May 7.
Then at her next two starts Miss Cover Girl finished seventh to Palazzo Pubblico in the Listed $100,000 City Property Services Bright Shadow Handicap (1200m) at Doomben on May 21 followed by a fourth to Spill The Beans in the Group 2 $175,000 MIRVAC QTC Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm three weeks later.
“I made the gear change for the Silk Stocking to help sharpen her up and it seems to be working,” Schweida said.
“She’ll wear them again on Saturday.”
“Her run in the QTC Cup was very good and three boys finished in front of her.”
In-form jockey Damian Browne is back aboard Miss Cover Girl who has drawn just worse than midfield at barrier nine.
On Friday afternoon the Eagle Farm track was rated a soft 6 which should suit Miss Cover Girl who has won once on the soft and once on the heavy.
The Ciaron Maher trained Azkadellia is at the head of the market order at $2.45 for the Tattersall’s Club Tiara and although she is coming off a last start failure as favourite when tenth to Under The Louvre in the Group 1 $1.5m AAMI Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 11 but she is still considered the horse to beat.
But her Autumn Carnival form before that was first class and included a win in the Group 1 $1m The Coolmore Legacy Stakes (Queen Of The Turf Stakes) (1600m) at Randwick on day two of ‘The Championships’ on April 9 followed by a second in the Doomben 10000.
Market order for the Tattersall’s Club Tiara at Ladbrokes.com.au: $2.45 Azkadellia, $5 Danish Twist, $6.50 Precious Gem, $8 Cradle Me, $15 Artistry, $21 Scarlet Billows, Blueberry Hill, $26 Jessy Belle, Sultry Feeling, Miss Cover Girl, $41 Echo Gal, $51 Palazzo Pubblico, Press Report, Onemorezeta, $67 Beatniks.