Canberra trainer Nick Olive agrees with his stable followers who have taken the long odds on offer for Single Gaze in the Group 1 $1m New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Single Gaze, above, has been specked at long odds in the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Steve Hart.
Olive believed that Single Gaze was over the odds at $41 when markets were framed for the Memsie Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au on Wednesday when the final field was released and was pleased that she was quickly shortened up to $34.
“I’m not expecting her to win on Saturday but I’m expecting her to run a better race than that of a 50-1 chance,” Olive told AAP.
Single Gaze is having her first run back after a successful Brisbane Winter Carnival campaign that saw her win two of her five starts, the Listed $100,000 Mandate Tails Stakes (1600m) at Doomben and the Group 2 $200,000 Pages Event Equipment Hire P J O’Shea Stakes (2200m) at Doomben.
The Not A Single Doubt mare had one more run after her P.J. O’Shea Stakes win for a second to Chocante in the Group 2 $300,000 Evergreen Turf Brisbane Cup (2200m) at Doomben on June 10.
Single Gaze claimed Group 1 glory during the 2016 Sydney Autumn Carnival with a win in the Group 1 $500,000 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill but was forced off the scene for ten months after falling heavily in the Group 1 $1m James Boag’s Premium Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick two weeks later.
Olive is expecting Single Gaze to take plenty of benefit out of her Memsie Stakes run and is looking forward to a good Spring Carnival campaign.
“She pretty much holds her condition all the way through her preparation,” Oliver said.
“She’ll tighten up a little bit more but she’ll maintain most of it as she eats well.
“You wouldn’t want to feed her too much more otherwise she’d get away on you.
“She’s only little but she’s got a nice long stride and she’s tough, which is probably the main thing.”
Single Gaze has been nominated for both the Group 1 $3.15m BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield on October 21 and the Group 1 $6.25m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 7.
Regular jockey Kathy O’Hara and Single Gaze are inseparable and they will pair up again in the Memsie Stakes and jump from barrier nine in the twelve horse field.
The Lindsay Park trained Vega Magic heads the market order for the Memsie Stakes at $2.40 at Ladbrokes.com.au ahead of last year’s winner Black Heart Bart at $5.50 and Le Romain Ta $6.550.
