Trainer Robert Smerdon has revealed that he is hoping promising mare Politeness will progress towards the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington on November 1 during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival.
Politeness will have one more barrier trial before returning to the races to start her 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign. Photo by: Steve Hart
Politeness has not been seen at the races since she scored an impressive victory in the Group 3 P.J. Bell Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on April 12, but contested a barrier trial over 800 metres at Cranbourne yesterday.
The Street Sense mare was given a very quiet trial and beat home just a single runner, but Smerdon told Racing Ahead that he has been happy with the progress that Politeness has made and is quietly confident that she can make the step-up to Group 1 level for races like the Myer Classic.
“She had a very, very easy day,” Smerdon said.
“She was never going to come off the bit.
“She was probably at a point where we were ready to go there and take some benefit, but with the track being as wet as it was we were very conservative on her and very happy with her.
“She will obviously trial again before she races and we are hoping to progress towards a race like the Myer Classic with her.”
Politeness made her racing debut in February last year and failed to fire in three starts as a two-year-old, but she stamped herself as a contender for the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) with impressive victories at Sale on August 22 and Seymour on September 5.
The four-year-old stepped up to Group level for the Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield on September 21, but she was beaten as a well-backed favourite by Gregers before failing to fire in the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1610m) at Flemington on October 5 and she was sent to the spelling paddock after failing to win either the Listed Lexus Hybrid Plate (1400m) on Melbourne Cup Day and the Listed City Of Greater Dandenong Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on November 16.
Politeness started her autumn campaign with a sixth place finish in the Listed MSS Security Stakes (1100m) at Flemington on March 8 and finished a narrow second in the Hilton Manufacturing Handicap (1300m) at Sandown on March 22 before finally scoring a maiden win at Group level in the P.J. Bell Stakes.
Smerdon is chasing his first win in the Myer Classic after finishing second with Lady Lynette in 2009.
