Robert Smerdon’s smart mare Politeness is primed for a bold first up showing when she returns to the racetrack in the Group 3 $150,000 William Hill Sprint Series Heat 2 Stakes (1200m) Caulfield on Saturday.
Politeness is set to resume in the Sprint Series Heat 2 Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Adrienne Bicknell.
Politeness was unplaced from her last four starts during the Autumn and Winter Carnivals but Smerdon said the Street Sense mare did enough when second in a recent Cranbourne barrier trial to convince him that she will run well on the weekend.
“She trialled really well at Cranbourne so she’s going the right way towards her first-up run,” Smerdon told Racenet.
Barrier thirteen in the fifteen horse field has done Politeness no favours but Smerdon is content with the 57kg that Politeness will have to carry under the set weights and penalties conditions of the race.
“It should suit Politeness because she’s won two Group III races and a Listed race,” Smerdon said.
“The weights have actually worked out pretty well for that top end (in the ratings) because there’s not much between them.”
Melbourne jockey Mark Zahra gets his chance again on Politeness and replaced Tommy Berry who rode the mare at her last start during the Brisbane Winter Carnival when tenth of fifteen behind Srikandi in the Group 1 $500,000 Sky Racing Tattersall’s Club Tiara (1400m) at the Gold Coast on June 20.
Equal topweight Hazard with 58kg has also drawn off the track and has the job ahead of her after coming up with the outside gate.
The Lee and Anthony Freedman trained mare was narrowly beaten first up when a nose second to Madam Gangster in the Group 3 $150,000 William Hill Sprint Series Heat 1 Stakes (Cockram Stakes) (1200m) Caulfield on August 29.
Ben Melham has ridden Hazard at three of her last four starts, including a win in the Group 3 $115,000 William Hill Proud Miss Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville on May 16, and will be in the saddle again on Saturday.
David Hayes and Tom Dabernig have two runners in the Sprint Series Heat 2 Stakes in Group 2 winner Wawail and six year old mare Girl Guide.
Wawail has a perfect three from three first up record and from barrier four, Michael Walker is certain to give her every chance of keeping that record intact.
Girl Guide has drawn barrier nine and Craig Williams takes over from Dwyane Dunn who was aboard the Churchill Downs mare when eighth first up in the Sprint Series Heat 1 Stakes
Atlantis Dream is another mare with a good fresh record and is having her first run back since winning the Group 2 $175,000 Hughes Chauffeured Limousines Queen Of The South Stakes (1600m) at Morphettville on May 2.
Brad Rawiller takes the ride from barrier six.
