Tough mare Politeness is set to resume her interrupted Autumn preparation when she lines up in the Listed $120,000 TROA Bel Esprit Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Politeness will line up in the Bel Esprit Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Sarah Ebbett.
Trainer Robert Smerdon had hoped to campaign Politeness in Sydney during ‘The Championships’ but a minor hoof problem forced the Caulfield trainer to ease up on the four year old mare.
The Street Sense mare kicked off the Autumn with a third to Tycoon Tara in the Group 3 $150,000 Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 14 before being forced to the sidelines.
Smerdon then changed course from a run in the Group 1 $1m Cellarbrations Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) at Randwick last weekend and is keen to head to Adelaide for the Group 1 $400,000 William Hill Classic (Registered as Robert Sangster Stakes) (1200m) at Morphettville on May 2 after she runs this weekend.
“It will give her a two-week gap to go to the Group 1 Sangster Stakes in Adelaide,” Smerdon told the Herald Sun.
“She has had an interrupted preparation and we had hoped to take her up to Sydney for the race just run, The Queen of the Turf. But because of that foot issue she has just had that one run (February 14) and has been in a holding pattern ever since.
“We were nearly going to take her last Saturday but we have kept her home and she’ll run on Saturday and then go to Adelaide.”
Smerdon has prepared Politeness for her return to the racetrack with two barrier trials, with the mare finishing fifth over 990m at Cranbourne on March 23 followed by a win over 1040m at Geelong on March 30.
Top Melbourne jockey Dwayne Dunn will be having his first ride on Politeness who has drawn barrier five in the sixteen horse Bel Esprit Stakes field.
Politeness has won four of her eighteen starts with her best wins being the Group 3 $200,000 The Other Woman P J Bell Stakes (1200m) at Randwick during the 2014 ‘The Championships’ and the Group 3 $150,000 Le Pine Funerals Summoned Stakes (1500m) at Sandown on the last day of the 2014 Melbourne Spring Carnival.
Well performed mares Gregers and Eloping will also be heading to Adelaide for the Robert Sangster Stakes for the fillies and mares after running in the Bel Esprit Stakes and both are sure to race well.
The David Hayes and Tom Dabernig trained Gregers has had one run back from a spell for a second to Platelet in the $100,000 Jeep 55 Second Challenge Heat 16 (955m) at Moonee Valley on March 27.
While Eloping has had a freshen up since running seventh to Written Dash in Group 3 $150,000 Typhoon Tracy Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on February 27.
