Nominations of Jimmysstar and Giga Kick for this weekend’s Newmarket Handicap make it more probable that Tentyris will contest the race, although reactions are mixed among participants.
John McArdle, who trains My Gladiola, is keen to avoid clashing once more with the prominent colt that placed his quality filly second on both occasions in the Coolmore Stud Stakes and Black Caviar Lightning.
The Mornington mentor will study the weights and gauge his barn’s feature performer in her Tuesday morning serious hit-out before finalising a slot in Flemington’s 1200-metre Group 1.
“We’ll see what he (Tentyris) does and if she doesn’t go to the Newmarket then she’d go to Sydney and trial up there and go to The Galaxy,” McArdle said.
“I’m 90 percent sure she will run, but there are always factors to consider. We’ll see how she gallops in the morning and see what the field comes up like.”
Craig Williams has the ride on My Gladiola, who picked up 50.5kg in Monday’s late Newmarket Handicap weights release.
Tentyris was rated at 57kg, a bit over what some foresaw with Jimmysstar on 60kg – surpassing the 1kg nomination topweight buffer.
Prominent weights include Giga Kick’s 59kg, though bound for Sydney’s Challenge Stakes, Baraqiel’s 57.5kg, and 57kg apiece for Joliestar and War Machine.
A silver lining for My Gladiola supporters: the daughter of I Am Invincible gets 4.5kg better weight-for-age versus Tentyris from the Coolmore Stud Stakes 2-1/4 lengths, and 5kg from the Lightning’s three-quarters-of-a-length.
“We obviously had the two kilos in the Coolmore and then a kilo-and-a-half in the Lightning because Jamie (Mott) rode her a half over,” McArdle said.
“But it’ll be more like five or six kilos in the Newmarket, so that is a factor, but he is a very, very good horse.”
All-in wagering sees Tentyris at $1.90 with online bookmakers for the Newmarket, My Gladiola matching $8 second spot with Chris Waller’s Angel Capital on 56.5kg.
The Newmarket Handicap shares billing with the $2 million Group 1 All-Star Mile at Flemington Saturday, boasting 15 entries topped by Pride Of Jenni, Treasurethe Moment, Tom Kitten, Stefi Magnetica and Antino.
Compare online bookmakers for the keenest Newmarket Handicap betting odds this weekend.