Grahame Begg’s stable will leverage an end-of-season weight-for-age race to initiate an early spring campaign.
Miraval Rose is entered for the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes over 1100 metres at Caulfield this Saturday, her first run since finishing fourth in the Group 2 Hot Danish Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill in November.
The mare, now approaching six years old, missed the autumn racing season due to what Begg described as ‘a minor setback, nothing serious’, but she has since made good progress towards her return.
Miraval Rose has had three preparatory trials or jump-outs leading up to Saturday’s event. She finished second over 800 metres in May, followed by another second in a 900-metre trial at Caulfield Heath on June 11. She then secured a win in a 1000-metre jump-out on the Pakenham Synthetic track on June 23.
Begg conceded that Saturday’s assignment is shorter than Miraval Rose’s preferred distance but stated that the run is intended as part of her long-term preparation.
He indicated that the mare is likely to head towards the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on July 25, setting her up for an early assault on some of the key early-season weight-for-age races.
“She had a little bit of a setback, nothing major, and that’s why she didn’t race in the autumn,” Begg said. “We’ve brought her up nice and steady, but she’s not really well suited on the ground. She’s trialled good, she’s prepped up good, but there was nothing for her, so that’s why we’ve spaced her trials. She’s OK on the soft, but hopefully we get a fairly good rest of the week, while the 1100 metres is probably a bit short of her best distance. It’s probably not ideal, but it’s a matter of getting a run under her belt and then she can push on to the Bletchingly after that. We’re trying to get a bit of fitness on the other ones late in the season and then she might be able to go on to the PB Lawrence (1400m at Caulfield on August 15), or something like that, or there’s those mares’ races in the early spring.”
Miraval Rose made a notable impact last spring. After a third-place finish first-up at Moonee Valley, she went on to win at the same track before taking out the Group 2 Rose Of Kingston Stakes (1400m) at Flemington in October.
Harry Coffey will be aboard the mare for the first time this Saturday. For those keen on the race, consider exploring the available betting markets for the Sir John Monash Stakes.
