Norzita to miss Thousand Guineas, out for the Spring

Flight Stakes winner Norzita joins the long list of high profile Spring contenders to be forced onto the sidelines and will miss the Group 1 $500,000 Schweppes Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 17 as well as the rest of the Spring.

The Bart Cummings stable reported that Norzita wasn’t one hundred per cent after trackwork this morning and informed Racing Victoria Stewards the filly would be sent straight to the spelling paddock, joining other Spring casualties Black Caviar, Atlantic Jewel, Manighar, Moment Of Changed, Efficient, Seville, Mawingo and Lucas Cranach.

Racing Victoria subsequently released a statement via twitter which stated “Norzita is out of Thousand Guineas. End of prep – gone for a spell.”

Norzita jumped into the Spring spotlight when first past the post in Group 2 $175,000 Coolmore Tea Rose Stakes (1500m) at Randwick on September 22 only to be relegated to second behind Longport after a protest for interference over the concluding stages was upheld.

But Norzita was able to set the record straight with a two and a half length win over Longport in the Group 1 $400,000 Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on October 6.

Winning rider Hugh Bowman was very impressed with Norzita’s win after he had to make an early move on the Thorn Park filly which left him in front before he wanted to be there.

“I rode her work here on Tuesday morning, it was enough to give me confidence going into the race. It was an even race with no standout filly,” Bowman said after the Flight Stakes.

“I didn’t know if I should have moved up so early but the pace was so moderate, and I know Bart likes his horses ridden to finish, you know I just had to ride her with confidence and she delivered for us.”

Norzita’s Flight Stakes victory promoted her to the top of the Thousand Guineas market but has now been replaced by the Leon Corstens trained Commanding Jewel at $5.50 with Love For Ransom and Molto Bene sharing the next line of betting at $6.

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.