Suavito at Pet Track and Distance in P.B. Lawrence

Nigel Blackiston’s class mare Suavito is back to her pet track and distance for her spring return over at Caulfield Racecourse in the P.B. Lawrence Stakes on Saturday.

Suavito

Suavito is a dual Group 1 winner over Saturday’s P.B. Lawrence Stakes 2016 track and distance. Photo: Adrienne Bicknell.

The now six-year-old daughter of Thorn Park is a dual Group 1 winner over the 1400m at Caulfield.

She sees the track and distance again this weekend for a first-up run in the $200,000 Back To Caulfield P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m).

She won last year’s Futurity Stakes, before a third in the same race behind Turn Me Loose this autumn, and also the CF Orr Stakes this February giving her an outstanding record over the meters and course of the P.B. Lawrence Stakes.

In total she has had seven runs for four wins, a second and a third over the 1400m at Caulfield and she also flies fresh.

She was last seen running a disappointing 11th to Azkadellia at Royal Randwick in Sydney’s Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) on April 9 where she was unsuited to a rain-affected track.

Suavito has had five first-up runs to date for three wins, a second and a third however and should be back to her best this weekend off a spell.

Her Flemington-based trainer is fully aware of all the boxes ticked ahead of the P.B. Lawrence Stakes, Blackiston hoping she can come up with the goods at weight-for-age on Saturday.

“Her record at the 1400 is impeccable,” he told AAP.

“And so too is her record at Caulfield.”

Blackiston was also happy to make excuses for her flat autumn, which also included an unplaced Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) run behind Preferment, saying she hadn’t fully recovered from vaccinations made in case she went to Hong Kong after the Queen Of The Turf.

“I think she might have lost a bit of interest after having a long break,” he said

The mare is just shy of $1.3 million in prize money over her 22 starts to date and is drawn a treat mid-field in barrier seven on Saturday with Michael Walker booked for the ride.

Walker hasn’t ridden her since a Caulfield (1400m) win back in October of 2013, replacing her more regular jockeys from recent seasons Damien Oliver and Luke Currie, in a move that pleases Blackiston.

“I’ve had a great rapport with Michael over many years,” he said.

“We seem to click really well together and he suits my horses.

“I’m pleased that he’s on board.”

Oliver was on Suavito for two recent Flemington jump-outs but will ride rival Miss Rose De Lago from the inside alley for Danny O’Brien in the P.B. Lawrence Stakes, the mare chasing her fourth win from five starts at Caulfield.

Suavito is current second favourite in the markets at Ladbrokes.com.au for this year’s P.B. Lawrence Stakes, the top fancy being the Darren Weir-trained Flying Spur four-year-old Mahuta.

“She’s been in work nearly three months now,” Blackiston said of Suavito.

“She came back in good order and has had a couple of jump-outs.

“The first one was really good. The second one was just fair but that’s her.

“She never trials well in the second trial. She just goes through the motions.”

About The Author

Lucy Henderson

Lucy is an experienced horse racing journalist that has been a crucial member of the horseracing.com.au team for the better part of a decade. She has taken great delight in covering champion mares Black Caviar and Winx throughout their careers and always has a soft spot for a winning filly.