Horse racing is rarely a simple equation, a fact that the punters who supported Custom in her most recent outing can attest to.
The Godolphin-owned four-year-old, trained by Ciaron Maher, was dispatched as an odds-on favourite at Caulfield Heath for her last race on August 8.
This strong market assessment stemmed from a commanding three-length victory at Caulfield over 1200 metres on July 25, which followed a solid first-up second over the same 1200-metre distance four weeks prior.
The Maher stable drew important conclusions from Custom’s defeat and have put plans into practice to avoid a recurrence of racing her too soon after a peak performance.
Custom is set to return to the track this Saturday to contest the Group 3 Courtza Stakes over 1200 metres at Caulfield, a return to Stakes-level racing.
The daughter of Street Boss has placed at Listed level previously and finished just outside the top four at Group 3 level when campaigning as a three-year-old.
Maher is cognisant of the fact that Saturday’s race is a rise in grade, but he believes Custom is a stronger mare now and deserves her chance.
The trainer took advantage of an opportunity to work Custom at Caulfield on Tuesday morning, a gallop that provided Maher with the confidence to proceed with Saturday’s Group 3 contest.
“She worked well and she is a nice horse,” Maher remarked.
“It was a bit disappointing last time, but she ran a huge peak second-up and then running her back two weeks (later), it can be, off a peak, hard to do.
“She didn’t get the smoothest flow in running, but she’s at that level and it is worth a shot.”
Maher has engaged recently returned jockey Ethan Brown, following his stint in Hong Kong, to ride Custom on Saturday, replacing apprentice Jabez Johnstone in this non-claiming race.
The Maher stable also has Salty Pearl entered for Saturday’s racing.
Salty Pearl is first-up on Saturday, having previously finished third in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill and fifth behind Panova in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) at Morphettville in April.
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