After pushing one of Australia’s hottest sprinting prospects to the limit, My Gladiola looks perfectly placed to strike in Saturday’s Group 3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
The John McArdle-trained filly drops back to fillies-only grade following her brave effort for second behind Tentyris in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington last weekend.
Now competing for a boosted $1 million purse, regular rider Jamie Mott believes timing and placement could be spot-on for the daughter of I Am Invincible, who has come through her Flemington run in terrific order.
“She’s a good-doing filly – a big, strong thing that has always bounced out of her races really well,” Mott said.
“When this race was put on and was worth a million bucks, if she pulled up well out of the Coolmore they were always going to have a look at it, and she has come out of the Coolmore really well.
“She’s going there 100 percent.”
My Gladiola has hardly put a foot wrong in her short career, with six top-two finishes from seven starts. Her only miss came when eighth in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes.
The $550,000 Inglis Easter graduate already owns feature wins in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Preview and Listed Cap D’Antibes Stakes and now seeks a first Group 3 success against her own age and sex at Caulfield.
Drawing barrier one again, Mott said the inside draw should prove an advantage this time around compared to the long Flemington straight.
“It’s quite a big field, so obviously, if you’re drawn out, you need a lot of luck anyway, so we know she’s going to get a good cushy run,” Mott said.
“We just need a bit of luck getting out.”
Bookmakers have My Gladiola at $2.15 to take out the Thoroughbred Club Stakes, with Inkaruna (barrier seven) considered her biggest threat after a strong second in the Red Roses Stakes on Oaks Day.
Before placing a bet on the race, compare bookmaker markets and specials on JustHorseRacing’s bookmakers page.