Trainer Grahame Begg is feeling positive about She’s A Hustler’s chances at Flemington, believing she has moved past the challenge of chasing down Pride Of Jenni.
She’s A Hustler is set to line up in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) on Saturday, and Begg is content that Pride Of Jenni will not be a participant in the race.
Begg indicated that the mare, who is also entered for the Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate, and Melbourne Cup, may have been affected by the three encounters with Pride Of Jenni during the autumn-winter period in Sydney and Brisbane.
“She was thwarted by wet tracks, and I think she might have had a bit of Pride Of Jenni hangover,” Begg said.
“Her first three runs back last preparation, she was in three hard run races.”
“It might have gutted her a bit. Instead of getting in a race where you could flow and go through your gears, each race was a high tempo.”
The field for Saturday has been trimmed to 10 runners following the withdrawals of Birdman, Buckaroo, and Aeliana, meaning the high-pressure racing She’s A Hustler faced previously won’t be an issue.
According to Begg, the Makybe Diva Stakes on Saturday is the most suitable race to commence She’s A Hustler’s preparation for the Caulfield Cup.
The next race planned is the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 3, followed by the Caulfield Cup two weeks later.
“It’s such a tight turnaround after winter,” Begg observed.
“The right race for her is probably the Underwood over 1800 metres, but it’s only two weeks, two weeks (to the Caulfield Cup).”
“Going that way, you don’t get to have a three-week buffer.”
“It’s a very tight schedule, unless you started early in something like the Heatherlie, but she looks to be tracking nicely.”
“She’s got good residual fitness from Brisbane and having that has allowed us to kick off here as she raced right up until the middle of June and then she was able to have a bit of a break up there.”
She’s A Hustler has completed two trials at Caulfield Heath in preparation for her Saturday return, with her most recent outing over 1400m resulting in a win.
“She took enormous improvement from her first trial to her second,” Begg commented.
“And her coat is really starting to move now.”
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