Saturday’s Caulfield winner Soft Sand will go straight into the Group 1 $500,000 Sky Racing Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 23 without another run.
Trainer Colin Little is forced to go four weeks in between runs for his smart filly after he couldn’t find a suitable lead up race in either Brisbane or Sydney in two weeks times.
Soft Sand was nominated for the Group 1 $1m AAMI Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm but Little feels she isn’t ready for the tough sprint and will instead barrier trial her to get her used to the Brisbane way of going.
“I don’t think it is suitable. I think it’s a bit hard. It’s a pretty tough race and I’m not really keen to run a three-year-old filly in it,” Little said.
“I thought I’d go via Sydney just to give her the benefit of experiencing that way of going but there isn’t a race for her in Sydney either so she’ll go a month without runs and the Tatt’s Tiara will be second-up.”
“There are trials on the Tuesday before and after the Stradbroke,” he said.
Soft Sand showed her class in winning first up at Caulfield in the ALH Group Plate for Fillies and Mares (1100m) coming from last for Damien Oliver to overpower the leaders to score a comfortable win.
The Dansili filly stood up in the Autumn winning the Listed Kevin Hayes Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 11 before running second to Shopaholic in the Group 2 $180,000 D’Urban Angus Armanasco Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 25.
Little sent Soft Sand out for spell after she had no luck and was held up in the straight when beaten less than three lengths by Empress Rock in the Group 2 $300,000 TAB Sportsbet Kewney Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on March 10.
The Caulfield trainer has a very high opinion of the filly and thinks she has an exciting future.
“She’s an exciting filly. She’s by Dansili and he’s a great stallion,” Little said.
“She’s a trainer’s dream. She tough and hardy, eats well and is strong and sound.”
Trainer Anthony Freedman will extend Doomben Cup winner Mawingo’s Queensland campaign to include the Group 2 $300,000 Australian Special Metals Brisbane Cup (2400m) at Eagle Farm on June 9.
Freedman had originally intended to spell Mawingo after taking out the Group 1 $500,000 Kirks Doomben Cup (2000m) at Doomben on May 19 and set the import for this year’s Caulfield Cup but has had a change of heart and will stick on in Brisbane for another couple of weeks.
Mawingo will be nominated for this Saturday in the Group 2 $250,000 Eagle Farm Cup (2200m) at Eagle Farm only as a precaution and is likely to go into the Brisbane Cup without another lead up run.
“He’s not a horse who carries a lot of condition. At this stage I don’t think he needs another run to be at his best for the Brisbane Cup,” Freedman said.
His Doomben Cup win qualifies Mawingo for the Group 1 $2.5 BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield on October 20 and a win in the Brisbane Cup over 2400m would satisfy the qualifying conditions for the Group 1 $6m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 6.
Freedman immediately targeted a Spring campaign for the German import after his Doomben Cup win which was fought out in the Stewards room after the connections of third placegetter Manighar threw in an objection for interference at the turn out of the straight the first time which was dismissed.
