Tawteen In Ranvet Handicap Field

Talented mare Tawteen is set to return to the races at Moonee Valley on Saturday after she was included in the 2015 Ranvet Handicap field.

Tawteen will start her 2015 Spring Racing Carnival campaign in the Ranvet Handicap at Moonee Valley on Saturday. Photo by: Sarah Ebbett

Tawteen will start her 2015 Spring Racing Carnival campaign in the Ranvet Handicap at Moonee Valley on Saturday. Photo by: Sarah Ebbett

Tawteen was included in the nominations for both the Benchmark 90 Handicap over 1200 metres and the short course sprint over 1000 metres, but the Lindsay Park team elected to accept for the 1200 metres event where the Stratum filly will carry 56 kilograms with Stephen Baster in the saddle.

The rising four-year-old has shown plenty of talent since she made her racing debut with a fifth place finish behind Eloping in the Listed Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) at Caulfield on January 25 and she was placed in both the Group 3 Champagne Stakes (1200m) and Group 3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes (1200m) before she took out the Listed Chandler Macleod Crockett Stakes (1200m) during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival.

The Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington before a trip to Dubai for the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint (1000m) were on the agenda for Tawteen in the autumn and she started her campaign with a win in a heat of the 55 Second Challenge at Moonee Valley on January 30, but she was sent to the spelling paddock after she failed to fire in the Indian Summer Handicap (1000m) at Flemington on February 21 and the Listed The Sebring (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens at Rosehill Gardens on March 21.

Co-trainer Tom Dabernig believes that Tawteen has taken plenty of benefit out of her stint in the spelling paddock and he is hopeful that the daughter of Stratum can return to her best form during the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival.

“She seems great and her work’s been faultless,” Dabernig said.

“She’s lovely and healthy going into her first-up run.

“She’s had the benefit of a good spell, so hopefully now as a four-year-old we can get her back.

“She’s a very fast sprinter and I would be thinking she’ll be kept to between 1000 and 1200 metres.”

Another galloper that is set to return to the races in the Ranvet Handicap is Mick Price-trained Mighty Like, who has been allocated the top weight of 60 kilograms along with veteran sprinter Nearest To Pin.

Mighty Like has not been seen at the races since he finished eighth behind Self Sense in the Kilmore Cup (1600m) on February 22 and he will be chasing his first win since he took out the Lola’s Gift Handicap (1400m) at Flemington in December last year.

The Thief, Supreme Warrior, Mr Good Cat, Red Corner, Snippetee Bee, Flash Of Doubt, Valiant Warrior and Neverending Valley have also been included in the Ranvet Handicap field.

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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.