It has taken almost twelve months but jockey Craig Newitt feels that last year’s Blue Diamond winner Samaready is back to her best.
Newitt was aboard Samaready when she won a Cranbourne jump out on Tuesday morning and declared that the three year old is ready to kick off a successful Autumn campaign.
“She feels like the two-year-old we knew last year,” Newitt said.
The Mick Price trained filly hit the spotlight in the Autumn last year when she went into into the Group 1 $1m Patinack Farm Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 25 undefeated from two starts and won as she liked as a short priced favourite.
Price then turned his attention to Sydney and Samaready scored just as impressively in the Group 2 $300,000 Jacobs Creek Reisling Slipper Trial (1200m) at Rosehill on March 24 and was installed the Golden Slipper favourite.
Newitt, who had partnered the filly in all her races, had to bring Samaready for worse than midfield on the hometurn before running home to finish third to Pierro in the Group 1 $3.5m AAMI Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on April 7.
Price was looking forward to a great Spring but had to send Samaready back to the spelling paddock when all was not well after the filly was a well beaten fourth to Elite Elle in the Listed $120,000 Quezette Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on August 18.
Conor Phelan, representing owners Vinery Stud indicated that Samaready was ready to begin her Autumn campaign now that she has shown that she is back on track with the easy jump out win.
“A decision was made to give her a proper spell and target the autumn carnival rather than try and play catch-up after the first-up effort,” Phelan said.
“She had three months in the paddock and on the evidence of the jump-out it looks as though the right decision was made.”
“We still aren’t sure on a start date in Melbourne but she will be coming to Sydney with the Coolmore and Queen Of The Turf logical options.”
“There was every intention that she would race over a mile last spring and while it didn’t eventuate, the 1500m at Rosehill should be ideal as a stronger three-year-old filly.”
Price hasn’t made a final decision if Samaready will take on Black Caviar in the Group 1 $500,000 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) at Flemington on February 16 or wait another week for the Group 1 $400,000 Sportingbet Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield.
The Group 1 $600,000 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill on March 23 and the Group 1 $400,000 Inglis Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on April 6 look ideal races for the More Than Ready filly.
