Treasurethe Moment is preparing to return for a big spring campaign, beginning with a jump-out at Mornington, as trainer Matt Laurie and the Yulong team consider whether she’ll target the Caulfield Cup or the Cox Plate.
She’s among 146 nominations for the Caulfield Cup and 108 for the Cox Plate, both major spring features with nominations closing on Tuesday. The international presence is lighter than previous years, with just 12 overseas-trained horses for the Caulfield Cup and 11 for the Cox Plate.
The star mare, who last season claimed the VRC Oaks and Australian Oaks, is set to resume with a jump-out at Mornington this week before a planned first-up run in the Memsie Stakes on August 30.
Laurie plans to follow up with starts in the Makybe Diva Stakes and Turnbull Stakes, with the final choice between the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate depending on her form and fitness.
“She’s already got the resume,” Laurie said. “We’ll go through those three races and then make the call depending on how she’s handling it all.”
Laurie noted the Cox Plate field could be stronger, which may make the Caulfield Cup a better fit given her record over 2000m to 2500m. “She’s got proven staying credentials,” he said. “She’s just a genuine racehorse with a big future.”
With three Group 1 wins already, Laurie says this prep carries less pressure. “Last season was about achieving those big goals. This time we can enjoy it a bit more and see how far she can go,” he added.
He also nominated unbeaten colt Vinrock for the Cox Plate, with a focus on the Golden Rose at Rosehill next month.
Chris Waller has submitted the most entries across both races, with 32 for the Caulfield Cup and 29 for the Cox Plate, including defending champion Via Sistina. Maher follows with 25 Cup entries and seven for the Plate.
Joseph O’Brien leads international representation with four Caulfield Cup nominations. Aidan O’Brien has one horse entered in both majors, plus three others for the Cox Plate.
Fans can follow all the spring build-up and get set with Australia’s best betting sites.
