Streama Saved For Group 1 Races

Trainer Guy Walter has elected not to run classy mare Streama in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) on Saturday in order to save her for the Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) and Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) later in the 2013 Sydney Spring Racing Carnival.

Streama

Streama was not included in the acceptances for the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes that will be run at Randwick on Saturday. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Streama raced extremely well during the 2013 Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival, finishing third in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) and second in the Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m), and began her spring campaign with a brave second place finish behind Veyron in the Group 2 Warwick Stakes (1400m).

The Group 1 winning mare was included in the nominations for the Chelmsford Stakes but Walter told Sky Racing HQ that he was wary of over racing the daughter of Stratum before her major spring assignments – the George Main Stakes at Randwick on September 21 and the Epsom Handicap at the same venue a fortnight later.

“I decided not to run her,” Walter said on Sky Racing Radio.

“We are happy enough with her, she is in very good shape despite the fact that it was a tough run first-up.

“She came through it pretty well but the main aims are the George Main and the Epsom and we just might not have a mare left if we run her over a mile on Saturday.

“She doesn’t need another run at this point, she has been up a long time and is very fit.”

Streama has proven that she is able to run up to her best form both at the start of her campaign and with a number of runs under her belt.

She has never missed a placing in each of her first-up runs but was victorious in the 2012 Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) and ran well in Brisbane towards the end of her autumn campaign, so Walter is not concerned about sending her to the George Main without racing for a month.

“It will be a month between runs but all she needs would be a 1200 metre trial,” the veteran trainer said.

“You could overdo her very easily.

“She is very clear winded and she is not a hard mare to keep fit.”

Walter is chasing his first victory in the George Main Stakes since Defier won the won in 2002.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.