The Group 1 $1m T J Smith (1200m) at Randwick will be Sea Siren’s target in the Autumn after the Group 1 wining mare failed to run up to her best when unplaced at Sha Tin in Hong Kong last Sunday.
Sea Siren will target the Group 1 TJ Smith during the Autumn. Photo by: Daniel Costello
Trainer John O’Shea was left floundering when Sea Siren could only manage to finish ninth to Japanese galloper Lord Kanaloa in the Group 1 HK$15m Longines Hong Kong Sprint (1200m).
“She’s never run like that in her life. I’ve got no idea what happened,” O’Shea said immediately after the race.
But after having a chance to look at the replay and inspect Sea Siren after she cooled down, O’Shea was able to offer some excuses for her out of character performance.
O’Shea described Sea Siren as sick and sorry after pulling up with scratches and bruises after copping a battering at the start.
“She got smashed at the start by the Japanese horse and Jimmy had to rev her up, then she got very fierce on him using a lot of petrol,” O’Shea said.
“She’s got a bunch of scratches and bruises and she’s a bit tired today, but essentially there’s nothing seriously wrong with her so we can move on now.
O’Shea is willing to forget the run and is anxious to get the four year old mare home to Randwick and get back on track for the Autumn.
“I just want to get her home and get about getting her right for the T. J. Smith on her home track,” O’Shea said.
Sea Siren was sent out the 7-4 favourite in the Hong Kong Sprint on her Melbourne Spring form which saw her win first up in the Group 1 $500,000 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on October 26 beating the Peter Snowden trained Mental.
Then Mental was able to reverse the placings in the Group 1 $1m Patinack Farm Classic (1200m) at Flemington on November 10 when Sea Siren was run down by the consistent Darley sprinter.
The T J Smith is already starting to shape up as one of the highlights of the Sydney Autumn Carnival with super mare Black Caviar likely to contest the weight for age sprint on her farewell tour before retiring.
Newmarket Handicap winner Hay List could also be in the mix if he returns to racing in good order after being forced on the sidelines through injury and leading Brisbane trainer Robert Heathcote is hoping Buffering can bounce back to top form after a disappointing Spring.
