Promising youngster Tigroni is due to step out for the first time in the Rosehill opener on Saturday, although co-trainer John O’Shea admits the race wasn’t his ideal launching pad.
The filly has been redirected into the Schweppes Handicap (1100m) after O’Shea’s original plan—to run her in a midweek juvenile event at Wyong—was derailed when Racing NSW abandoned the race due to a small field.
That decision drew criticism from several corners, including Gai Waterhouse on social media, with O’Shea firmly in agreement.
“We had her in on Wednesday and that was our preferred option,” he said.
“Racing NSW cancelled the race because it had six acceptors, but what they’re forgetting is that it’s a lead-up to the Magic Millions at Wyong in two weeks’ time.
“Fair enough that race was light on acceptors, and they said a couple of horses were dual nominated. We were one of them.
“The reason we were dual ‘nomed’ is we don’t trust Racing NSW to hold the race, so you have to have a back-up plan. We wanted to go around on Wednesday.”
The scheduling clash is particularly annoying given the Wyong Magic Millions 2YO Classic is run on December 10, leaving little recovery time if Tigroni races at Rosehill this weekend.
Should she line up on Saturday, the tight turnaround will likely rule her out of the Wyong feature.
Despite the setback, O’Shea remains optimistic about Tigroni’s upside and is hopeful she can still earn her way into the Magic Millions Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast.
She made an impression in her latest trial by putting a margin on her rivals, having shown inexperience at her first public appearance, and O’Shea believes her natural speed will help from gate nine.
“She has been a delight the whole way through,” he said.
The ownership group adds extra colour to the story, with both O’Shea’s wife and co-trainer Tom Charlton’s wife involved, along with Charlton’s mother-in-law.
“More importantly, Tom’s mother-in-law, Mrs Camillieri, is involved,” O’Shea said.
“He might not get fed on Saturday night.”
If you’re looking to back Tigroni or follow her into the Magic Millions path, it pays to shop around with the top Australian betting sites for the best odds and offers.
