Whatever Mountjoy achieves for the remainder of her campaign will be viewed as a bonus, but the Ballarat filly is being given her chance at a lucrative Stakes victory this Saturday in Adelaide.
The Henry Dwyer-trained two-year-old will compete in the $120,000 David Peacock Oaklands Plate (1400m) at the Morphettville Parks track.
Mountjoy was set for the $125,000 Elvstroem Classic (1300m) at Swan Hill earlier this month, a race in which she was a narrow-but-impressive winner from Fontein Jewel. Dwyer explained that the opportunity for a Listed victory while the filly was in such good form was too good to pass up.
“The horse she beat at Swan Hill came out and won at Flemington the other day, so her form is good,” Dwyer said.
“She can definitely run a place, if not win, and she’s a well-bred filly that would be worth plenty if she could win over there.”
Mountjoy is a daughter of Street Boss and the Redoute’s Choice mare Lorne, who Dwyer purchased for NZ$150,000 at last year’s Karaka Yearling Sale.
Dwyer originally had Karaka Millions ambitions with Mountjoy, only to be thwarted by a setback, but she could be set for a trip to the same meeting next year if she performs well on Saturday.
“We’re going pretty deep into the winter with her running this week and I reckon she probably wants a decent break, so we might even try to get her over to New Zealand for the Karaka Millions three-year-old race,” he said.
“We wanted to get her there for the two-year-old race, but we might just be a year behind.”
Mountjoy is not Dwyer’s only hope in the Oaklands Plate, with And There You Go, a daughter of Hellbent who finished third at her only start at Donald, set to accompany her to Adelaide.
“She surprised us a little bit running so well, it was an open-age maiden and she got home pretty well and nearly won,” Dwyer said.
“I think that’s more than enough to go against those two-year-olds over there, so it wouldn’t surprise if she was to run a placing.”
And There You Go drew the better barrier of Dwyer’s pair, coming up with gate four, while Mountjoy will start from the outside alley in the field of 14.
Dwyer has engaged Adelaide’s Price brothers to ride his fillies, with Will to ride Mountjoy and Ben to ride And There You Go.
Betting markets for the race are expected to be competitive; check out Australian betting sites.
