Group 1 winning mare First Seal will resume in the Group 2 $400,000 Ronald McDonald House Westmead Golden Pendant (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday carrying the top weight of 58kg.
First Seal, above, will resume in the Golden Pendant at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.
Fifteen fillies and mares have been nominated for the Golden Pendant with the Peter and Paul Snowden trained Tycoon Tara the second top weight with 57kg.
The Snowden stable have also nominated Serene Majesty (56kg), Ravi (55kg) and Happy Hannah (55kg).
First Seal will be having her first run since finishing twelfth of fifteen behind Winx in the Group 1 $3m The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick on April 2, but trainer John Thompson explained that she was carrying an injury.
“She was galloped on and shattered her splint bone second up (when runner-up in the Canterbury Stakes) and we didn’t know until after her run in the Doncaster,” Thompson told racing.com.
“It’s not a weight bearing bone so it was removed and she seems to have fully recovered and is going really well.
“With the injury we’ve held her back a little bit and have brought her up nice and steadily with the view to have her peaking in Melbourne.”
Thompson has given her plenty of time to recover and with two Randwick barrier trials under her belt is ready to kick off her Spring Carnival campaign.
First Seal ran fourth in an 850m trial on August 19 and then showed plenty of improvement to win a 1200m trial on September 5.
“There was nice improvement from her first trial to her second trial which is what we want to see and she’ll improve again going into the Golden Pendant,” Thompson said.
“She’ll then have one run over 1400m at Caulfield (Tristarc Stakes) before the Myer Classic.”
Thompson has his sights set on Melbourne with First Seal set to run in the Group 2 $200,000 Schweppes Tristarc Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on October 15 then into the Group 1 $500,000 Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington on October 29.
The Tim Martin trained Heavens Above was back in the winner’s stall last start in the Group 3 $125,000 Irresistible Pools Sheraco Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on September 10 and gets her chance to score back to back wins.
The John O’Shea stable have nominated Pearls for the Golden Pendant and the four year old resumed for a tough first up win in the Group 3 $125,000 Forum Group Toy Show Quality (1300m) at Randwick on August 20 followed by an eleventh in the Sheraco Stakes after drawing a wide barrier.
First Seal has been installed the early $4 favourite for the Golden Pendant at Ladbrokes.com.au ahead of Heavens Above at $6 and the Ron Quinton trained Dixie Blossoms at $7.
Early market order for the Golden Pendant at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4 First Seal, $6 Heavens Above, $7 Dixie Blossoms, $7.50 Ravi, $8.50 Tycoon Tara, $9 Denmagic, $12 Sold For Song, $14 Pearls, $15 Serene Majesty, Zanbagh, $16 Happy Hannah, $21 Ammirata, $41 Unequivocal, $71 Legless Veuve, $101 Diamond Made.
