Lightly-raced filly Telepathic is set to make her Australian racing debut in the 2014 Rough Habit Plate at Doomben on Saturday.
Donna Logan is hoping that Telepathic can replicate the success in Australia of 2014 Australian Oaks winner Rising Romance. Photo by: Steve Hart
Telepathic earnt herself a trip to Australia by recording two straight wins in the Lindauer Classic (1200m) at Ellerslie on April 12 and the Governor General’s Cup (1600m) at Avondale on April 25 and was set to start her 2014 Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival campaign in the Group 2 The Roses (2000m) at Doomben on May 17, but trainer Donna Logan revealed that she was unsure whether the daughter of Mossman would make the field for the fillies race.
“We are going to go to the Rough Habit,” Logan told Sky Racing HQ.
“We were going to go for The Roses, but I don’t know that I have enough stakes money to get into The Roses and the fact that I am going to get a run in the Rough Habit means that I am going to go that way.
“Whether I go Oaks or Derby I have got to have a run.
“It is very frustrating, you bring a nice horse over and then you are starting to sweat whether you are going to get a start.”
Telepathic has been included in the nominations for the both the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2400m) at Eagle Farm on May 31 and Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at the same venue a week later, and Logan revealed that she is unsure which race that she would target with the promising filly.
“We had planned to go to the Oaks all the way through, but of cause now we are going to meet some of the boys this weekend,” Logan said.
“We will just see how we pan out in this race and measure up against them.
“I am quiet relaxed about which way we go at this stage and we will go where we are best placed.”
Telepathic has never previously raced over a distance greater than 1600 metres and her pedigree does not necessarily suggest that she will be able to run out the strong 2400 metres needed to win the Queensland Oaks or Queensland Derby.
Logan said that she is not worried about the pedigree of Telepathic and feels that the three-year-old is giving her every indication that she will be able to stay the trip in either Group 1 event.
“I have always thought that she would,” Logan said.
“Russell Warwick, who manages the horses for Gerry Harvey back in New Zealand, has a little question mark over her getting the trip in the Oaks, but I have always been confident that she would.
“A Mossman filly won the Oaks in New Zealand and there are no rules.”
Telepathic is currently on the second line of 2014 Rough Habit Plate betting markets, at odds of $4, with Gai Waterhouse-trained Pheidon a narrow favourite at a quote of $3.40.
