Rising Romance will return to the races in the 2014 Tramway Stakes at Royal Randwick tomorrow and trainer Donna Logan is expecting the talented mare to take plenty of benefit from her run in the Group 2 event.
Rising Romance has not been seen at the races since she scored an impressive win in the 2014 Australia Oaks. Photo by: Steve Hart
Rising Romance was sent to the spelling paddock after she scored an impressive win in the Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) at Royal Randwick on April 19 and she has been brought along slowly by Logan heading into her 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign.
The Australian Oaks winner worked home fairly in a barrier trial over 1175 metres at Warwick Farm on August 29, but Logan told RSN this morning that the four-year-old is still two or three runs away from reaching her peak form.
“We took her home and she had a good spell,” Logan said.
“We brought her in and we brought her up slowly.
“She has really matured up, put on a lot of weight and has thickened tremendously.
“She will definitely need it and she will take a lot of progression from this run.
“She is probably going to need two runs to be getting close to her best.”
Rising Romance has been included in the nominations for both the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) and Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m), but it is the handicap event at Caulfield on October 11 that will be the major 2014 Spring Racing Carnival goal for the daughter of Ekraar.
Logan is hoping that Rising Romance will be at her peak for both the Group 3 Craven Plate (2000m) at Royal Randwick on October 4 and the Caulfield Cup, but she admits that her star filly faces a serious step-up from the competition she faced as a three-year-old filly.
“It will be Caulfield, but we will be seeing her at least 98% ready by the time she gets to the Craven before she goes to Caulfield,” Logan said.
“I think to see her really performing up to her best, she will start around the 2000 metre mark and 2000 metres plus she will be really starting to hit her straps.
“It is very hard coming back from three-year-old racing.
“We all know how they change dramatically with time, but to me she is showing me signs that she is a better horse than she was when she won the Oaks.
“If she gets back tomorrow and runs home tomorrow then I will be very pleased.”
Rising Romance has remained steady at 2014 Tramway Stakes odds of $25, with Weary ($3.80) still a clear favourite from in-form sprinter Tiger Tees ($5).
