Rising Romance Back In Work Ahead Of Autumn Campaign

Rising Romance has returned to work to begin preparations for the 2015 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival and trainer Donna Logan is delighted with the condition of the talented mare.

Rising Romance finished a narrow second behind Admire Rakti in the 2014 Caufield Cup. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Rising Romance finished a narrow second behind Admire Rakti in the 2014 Caufield Cup. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Rising Romance was sent to the spelling paddock after she finished a credible sixth behind Happy Trails in the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on November 1 and Logan believes that the Caulfield Cup runner-up took plenty of benefit out of his stint away from her stable, but was happy to return to trackwork this week.

“She has done exceptionally well,” Logan told Sky Racing HQ.

“She looks a $ 1 million and she is happy to be back in work, she doesn’t like to be idle long.

“I am very pleased with the way that she has come back.

“Some horses relish the paddock and enjoy the time out, while others again prefer to be back in work and they do so much better in work than out of work.

“We are fortunate that she does well in both situations and I am very pleased with how she has done.

“She only had the five races in the autumn and it didn’t take too much out of her, so she was able to bounce back very quickly.”

Logan is yet to decide on exactly what path Rising Romance would follow in the autumn, but she indicated that races like the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 21 and the Group 1 The BMW (2400m) at the same venue the following weekend were both on the agenda for the Group 1 winning mare.

Rising Romance has produced the two best performances of her racing career to date over 2400 metres, when she won the Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) and finished second in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) and the Ruakaka-based trainer believes that 2400 metres remains the best trip for her star galloper.

“We are just looking forward now to the autumn coming up,” Logan said.

“There is The BMW there, there is the Ranvet there, there are so many options.

“We are just contemplating whether we keep her here in New Zealand or go back to Sydney where she settles in well and loves the situation.

“Being a bit older and stronger I think that she might perform better at 2000, but in my heart and soul I think she loves the 2400 and that is her ideal trip.

“We know how many races it will take to peak and we will look at it very carefully, study the situation very tentatively and make that decision.”

Rising Romance has recorded four wins from her 15 race starts and has accumulated well over $1 million in prizemoney for connections.

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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.