Talented mare Srikandi was undoubtedly the standout performer through the recent Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival, and trainer Ciaron Maher is confident she earned a shot at major Melbourne sprints and a possible trip to Hong Kong later this year.
Two-time Group 1 winner Srikandi will be set for the 2015 Spring Carnival in Melbourne. Photo: Daniel Costello
Srikandi announced her racing return with an impressive win in the Group 2 Victory Stakes (1200m) on the Gold Coast first-up on April 25th, but failed to make anything of an impact when eighth in the Group 1 BTC Cup (1200m) and sixth in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1350m) in her next two starts.
Producing a monumental turn of foot to break through for a maiden win at the highest level in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1350m) on June 6th, the Dubawi mare has since returned to the paddock after posting a second-consecutive success in the Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) over the weekend.
Maher was understandably thrilled with the results posted by Srikandi through her latest campaign and is confident a varied training effort taken with the rising five-year-old this year suggests she will be given every opportunity to be ready for the Spring Carnival.
“This is a bit different to last year as she’d been in work all year and was feeling the effects of a long campaign. She just didn’t come up for the spring,” Maher told The Herald Sun.
“This year, she didn’t race earlier in the year and she’s going out for a break in great shape and should bounce back quickly.”
Maher is confident Srikandi is still yet to find career-best condition and believes that may come to fruition during the 2015 Spring Carnival.
“I think she’s now done enough to target the top-drawer sprints. With her rating, we have to have a shot at them,” he said.
“She’s improved every campaign as she’s needed to do and I’m hoping for that to happen again.”
Srikandi undoubtedly announced her racing arrival over the 2014 edition of the Brisbane Winter Carnival; taking out each of the Listed Silk Stocking (1200m), Listed Juanmo Stakes (1200m) and Group 3 Glenlogan Park Stakes (1350m) before boxing on for a credible third in the Stradbroke Handicap.
