Trainer John Sargent is confident that talented mare Kirramosa will be close to peak fitness after she runs in the 2014 Tramway Stakes at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Kirramosa scored a tough win over Zanbagh and Solicit in the 2013 edition of the Crown Oaks. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Kirramosa was kept away from racing for over six months following her tough win in the Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m) at Flemington on November 7, after suffering a fetlock injury during preparations for the 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, before she returned to racing with a credible sixth in the Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on August 9.
The Alamosa mare was included in the acceptances for the Quaddie Handicap (1500m) that was run at Rosehill Gardens last weekend, but Sargent opted to scratch the four-year-old due to the heavy track, which has the Randwick-based trainer playing catch-up to get his star galloper ready for the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 18.
Sargent told Racing Ahead that Kirramosa will be settled towards the tail of the field before hopefully working home strongly in the Tramway Stakes and he believes that the race will bring her along for a return to Group 1 level in the George Main Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick in just over a fortnight.
“They will go pretty quick up front inside her, so get back, run home type job to get her ready for the George Main and then either the Turnbull or Craven Plate and into the Caulfield Cup,” Sargent said.
“We are going to have to get some miles into her legs now going into those races.
“Let’s hope that everything will be right on Saturday and it clears up a bit.
“She still had a good blow (after completing trackwork), so I think that she is still one run away from being right at her peak and this will top her off for up to a mile onwards.
“We planned to have her ready for October and November and it is all a means for a means.”
Kirramosa was allocated 51 kilograms in the 2014 Caulfield Cup weights that were released by Racing Victoria Chief Handicapper Greg Carpenter this afternoon and that will be enough weight to earn her a start in the race because of the three kilograms ballot allowance for four-year-old mares.
Kirramosa is currently available at 2014 Tramway Stakes odds of $13, with Tiger Tees ($5) and Weary ($5) battling for favouritism in early markets for the Group 2 event.
