A super confident Craig Newitt is boasting the chances of Samaready for her return to racing in the Group 1 $500,000 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Craig Newitt feels that Samaready is back to her best form that saw her win the G1 Moir Stakes. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
“She’s flying,” Newitt told AAP.
“I think she’s definitely come back equally as well (as the spring), if not a shade better.”
Newitt knows the mare perfectly after riding her in all her nine race starts, including two Group 1 wins from her six victories.
Samaready burst into the spotlight as a two year old with a three lengths win in the 2012 Group 1 $1m Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield before finishing third as favourite to Pierro in the Group 1 $3.5m Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill.
Injury saw the More Than Ready mare miss the 2012 Spring Carnival and after twelve months on the sidelines was back in the Group1 winner’s stall with a four lengths whitewash in the $450,000 Programmed Moir Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley last September.
But the mare was forced to have another break after some internal bleeding in her lungs was detected after finishing eighth to Buffering in the Group 1 $1m Sportingbet Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on October 25.
Trainer Mick Price can’t fault Samaready as she kicks off an ambitious Autumn Carnival which will see her ultimately run in the Group 1 $2.5m Darley T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 12 the end of a Group 1 sprinting campaign.
“She’s perfect. She’s scoping clean. She’s sound and she has still only had nine starts,” Price said.
“Sydney holds no fears for her. She’s a Reisling Slipper Trial winner and she ran third in a Golden Slipper so hopefully she can join our Sydney team,” Price said.
After the Black Caviar Lightning Price plans to run Samaready in the Group 1 $1m Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 8 and possibly the Group 1 $400,000 Hacer Group William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on March 21 before heading to Sydney.
With Snitzerland and the speedy two year old Boomwaa certain to put plenty of speed into the race, Newitt is certain the fast tempo will suit Samaready who will sit just off the pace.
“I think it will be good because I think there’ll be speed in the race,” Newitt said.
“You’ve got the two-year-old (Boomwaa), you’ve got Snitzerland and you’ve got Bernabeu who trialled the other day. So she should just get a nice tag off the back of them.”
The Victoria Racing Club has extended nominations for the Black Caviar Lightning until 10AM on Tuesday after there was only fourteen horses entered for the weight for age sprint.
