Rising Romance To Take Place In Vinery Stud Stakes Field

New Zealand Derby runner-up Rising Romance will arrive in Australia tonight ahead of the 2014 Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

James McDonald will partner Rising Romance in the 2014 Vinery Stud Stakes at Caulfield this weekend.

James McDonald will partner Rising Romance in the 2014 Vinery Stud Stakes at Caulfield this weekend. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

There were question marks over Rising Romance’s participation in the Vinery Stud Stakes after it was reported that she had suffered a stone bruise, but trainer Donna Logan told Sky Racing HQ that the talented filly had recovered from the minor setback and is in excellent condition heading into her Australian racing debut this weekend.

“It was after the Derby; we put her in the paddock for ten days and while she was out having that freshen up she developed a minor stone bruise,” Logan said.

“We have got new hoof grown there so we have put a plastic cover over that just as a protection.

“I declared that to the stewards and unfortunately somebody has got the story a bit messed up.

“She hasn’t missed any work in the lead-up to this from that freshen.

“Her final speed work was yesterday and I couldn’t have been happier with what she produced on the track.”

Rising Romance is currently on the second line of 2014 Vinery Stud Stakes betting markets, behind outright favourite Zanbagh, but Logan admitted that it is tough to access the form lines of the Ekraar filly heading into the Group 1 event this weekend.

Logan said she was unable to gauge any information from the run of Puccini, who defeated Rising Romance to win the New Zealand Derby, in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) last Saturday and the Ruakaka-based trainer added that she was unsure how Rising Romance would perform on a rain affected track or how she would handle the flight to Australia this evening.

“We were hoping to get a guide with Puccini, but the rain affected track and so forth did not give us any indicator,” Logan said.

Lucia Valentina is the only one that we have competed against here and beaten and that gives us a bit of a guide, but we are going to get a rain affected track and we don’t know how that is going to affect her.

“All track surfaces are different so we are in the dark there, but from her work we are happy with her.

“Her temperament would indicate t that she should handle it (the trip to Australia) well, but it is her first trip overseas and she will have a new environment and a new stable.

“We are all up in the air about how she is going to cope with that, but I think her temperament will get her through that.”

Logan is chasing her first win in the Vinery Stud Stakes after finishing third with Habibi in 2013 and fourth with Vapour Trail in 2002.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.