Trainer John Sadler has confirmed that Bengal Cat will not run in the 2015 Thousand Guineas Prelude at Caulfield on Saturday and will instead return to racing in the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on October 4.
John Sadler has confirmed that Bengal Cat has been set for the 2015 Crown Oaks at Flemington during the Melbourne Cup Carnival. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Bengal Cat started her winter campaign with a close behind in the Pendragon At Think Big Stud (1200m) at Moonee Valley on June 6 and she stamped herself as a filly to watch when she scored an upset win over El Greco in the Murray Cox Handicap (1400m) at Flemington on June 27 before she was sent to the spelling paddock after she finished a more than credible fourth in the Listed Taj Rossi Series Final (1600m) at Flemington on July 11.
The Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) was expected to be the early 2015 Spring Racing Carnival target for Bengal Cat, but Sadler told RSN this morning that he has elected to miss the Group 1 event with the Bernardini filly and she will instead run in the Edward Manifold Stakes next weekend as she builds towards the Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m) at Flemington during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
“She won’t run,” Sadler said of the Thousand Guineas Prelude.
“She worked this morning on the course proper and I was happy with her work, but I would probably prefer to miss those Thousand Guineas fillies.
“We are not going to go around in the Thousand, I have spoken to Eddie Hirsch about it and we have decided that we will kick-off in the Edward Manifold.
“She has quite a bit of residual fitness having not had a long break at all and we will bounce off with her in the mile heading towards the Oaks, if she is mature enough to handle it.
“She has certainly matured and she has more maturing to do.
“I am pretty confident we haven’t see the best of her as yet and we are looking forward to Sunday week when she goes around in the Edward Manifold.”
Sadler has not had a runner in the Crown Oaks since Ladybird Blue finished 11th behind Lee Freedman-trained Northwood Plume in the 1994 edition of the race.
Pasadena Girl ($6) is currently on top of Crown Oaks betting markets and she is a narrow favourite from Stay With Me ($7.50), Sacred Eye ($10), Sagaronne ($15), Blackwood ($17), Alaskan Rose ($17), Jameka ($17) and Don’t Doubt Mamma ($26).
