Trainer Grahame Begg admits that the decision to promote Aroused from a maiden win at Ballarat to a Stakes race at Flemington on Cox Plate Day is a daring experiment.
This bold strategy reflects the trainer’s strong belief in Aroused, who is set to compete in the Listed Crockett Stakes over 1200 metres this Saturday.
A daughter of Snitzel, Aroused, recently captured a maiden race at Ballarat over 1000m, dictating terms from the outset to win by three lengths.
Begg is of the conviction that the filly is ready for the significant increase in competition on Saturday.
“It’s pretty bold placement you could say, but she could not have been more impressive than what she was when she won her maiden,” Begg stated.
“There aren’t many races that we can run her in, and we feel that she will be very well suited up the straight.
“She jumps, she travels, she does whatever you want her to do, and she puts herself in a position where she can travel through her gears.”
Begg had such a high opinion of the filly in her two-year-old season that he had intended for her to debut in the Talindert Stakes at Flemington in February.
However, Aroused experienced shin soreness after a trial at Cranbourne the month before and was subsequently tipped out for a spell.
When brought back into work during the winter, Begg noted that the filly was not showing her best form and was again sent to the paddock.
“She wasn’t doing well in the stable, so we put her out again for another four or five weeks, boxed her at night, cuddled her up, looked after her, and brought her back and went to Ballarat confident she could win there,” Begg explained.
“She might get exposed going up the straight for the first time through lack of experience, but we think she’s a pretty nice horse in the making.
“If she can run well on Saturday, there’s the Thoroughbred Club Stakes at Sandown on November 14.
“It’s a $1 million race for three-year-olds, so that would be the race she would go to, all being well, after Saturday and then we’d look to the autumn.”
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