Just Like Gaby has a long journey ahead to match the accomplishments of her Group 1-winning dam, but she can take a significant step forward if she performs well in a Stakes race at Moonee Valley.
The Ciaron Maher-trained three-year-old is the daughter of Loving Gaby, a dual Group 1 winner at The Valley. Loving Gaby won the Manikato Stakes (1200m) as a three-year-old in 2019 before returning the following autumn to claim the William Reid Stakes.
Her daughter, Just Like Gaby, will compete at The Valley on Saturday, coincidentally on William Reid Stakes Day, in the Group 3 Don Casboult Classic (1200m).
This will be Just Like Gaby’s second attempt at a Stakes race, having finished second-last in the Group 3 Quezette Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield during her second racetrack appearance.
After being spelled following that race, Just Like Gaby resumed with a second-place finish in a maiden at The Valley on January 24. She then won her next two starts at the track, including a benchmark 64 race over 1200m on February 28, where she led from start to finish.
Ciaron Maher’s assistant trainer, Jack Turnbull, said Just Like Gaby still has a lot of ground to cover to match her mother’s achievements but is steadily improving.
“She’s done nothing wrong,” Turnbull said. “She keeps improving, and being a three-year-old at a track she’s won at and run well at a few times, it’s a good opportunity.”
“We know it’s going to be a tough task for her, but a filly with her page, pedigree, and liking for The Valley, it’s there, so we thought why not.”
Loving Gaby was an imposing type as a young horse with the ability to match. Turnbull noted that Just Like Gaby shares some similarities with her mother but is a slower-maturing filly.
“She’s still got a long way to go,” Turnbull said. “They both like The Valley, and she’s still got more to come, but she needs to keep improving to get anywhere near her mother.”
“She was physically slow developing and slow mentally maturing, and she still does a bit wrong, but the main thing is she hasn’t reached her ceiling yet.”
