Pakenham trainer Charlotte Littlefield has opted against pursuing greater prize money in interstate races with Concord Connie, with the clear objective of securing a Group 1 win in Victoria.
The exciting mare, Concord Connie, has completed four weeks of work as she prepares for her return, with the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington during the Melbourne Cup Carnival being the ultimate aspiration.
This strategy involves bypassing a trip to Sydney for the $10 million Golden Eagle, a race that has recently been granted Group 1 status.
The rising four-year-old has raced on only four occasions, winning her past three starts, with the last two victories at Flemington, the most recent being on May 16.
Littlefield is planning a low-key start for Concord Connie in an effort to enhance her rating ahead of the Spring Carnival.
“She’s probably just a touch ahead of schedule so we’ve probably got a bit of time to sit back and relax a little bit, just take her through gently and not rush her,” Littlefield commented.
“She had four-and-a-half or five weeks out and she wasn’t a horse that loved being out in the paddock.
“She actually loves and thrives off the attention of being in the stable and human interaction.
“She’s a unique horse and we enjoy having her back in, that’s for sure.
“We’ll kick-off in a benchmark race first-up in mid to late September, possibly at Mornington as around that time there is very little benchmark racing in town, so hopefully she can kick-off in a winning way.
“We need to raise those points and providing she has come back well from there we will plot a path to something like the Empire Rose.
“She obviously goes well at Flemington.
“There is the lure of big prize money up in Sydney, but for me it’s more important to win a Group 1 at headquarters down here in Victoria and for the owners too.”
Littlefield has yet to record a Group 1 success, having had only four starters at the highest level.
Her closest attempt was in the 2025 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield when She’s Bulletproof finished second to Jimmysstar.
Exploring the available betting markets for the Empire Rose Stakes could be a good starting point for enthusiasts.
