Trainer Gerald Ryan is certain Oakleigh Plate winner Mrs Onassis is back to her best after scoring an impressive barrier trial win at Rosehill today.
Mrs Onassis winning the 2013 Group 1 Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield. Photo by Bruno Cannatelli.
Mrs Onassis lost all form since winning the Group 1 $400,000 Sportingbet Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield in February but the smart time she ran over the 1030m suggests that she is back on track fo a good Spring Carnival.
“She seems to be back in really good order, and the time was really quick,” Ryan told Racing Network.
“They rarely, if ever, break 62 seconds here and they ran 61.5, so she’s gone exceptionally well.”
“She trialled really well and there was fabulous depth in the trial as well.”
Ryan has earmarked the Group 3 $125,000 Concorde Stakes (1000m) at Randwick on September 7 for Mrs Onassis.
The Group 1 winning mare was due to start in the Group 3 $125,000 McGrath Real Estate Agents Missile Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on August 10 but Ryan decided to wait for another day when the track was rated a slow 7.
Misssile Stakes winner Rain Affair showed his customary speed and gave nothing else a chance, leading all to the to score a five and a half length win over Mic Mac and Title.
Mrs Onassis looks like dodging Rain Affair again with trainer Joe Pride aiming the speedster towards this Saturday’s Group 2 $175,000 Warwick Stakes (1400m) at Warwick Farm.
If Ryan sticks to his plan and runs Mrs Onassis in the Concorde, it will be eight weeks since her last run when she beat one runner home when six lengths eighth to Pago Rock in the Listed $120,500 Sir Monash Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on July 13.
But the two months in between runs is not a problem, with Mrs Onassis having good fresh form as was highlighted when she won the Oakleigh Plate first up in February.
After winning the Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield, Ryan took the General Nediym mare back to Sydney for the Group 2 $175,000 Challenge Stakes (1000m) at Warwick Farm on March 16 but she could only finish eighth behind stablemate Snitzerland.
