The Rosehill Gardens track is currently rated a heavy 8 and is unlikely to dry out completely in the next 24 hours, but jockey Tommy Berry is confident that promising filly Tempt Me Not will have no problem handling the rain-affected surface in the 2015 Widden Stakes.
Tommy Berry has been booked to ride Tempt Me Not in the 2015 Widden Stakes. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Tempt Me Not finished second behind Salerno in her maiden race start on a dead track at Royal Randwick last October in the Victory Vein Plate (1000m) and has not raced on a wet surface, but Berry told Racing Ahead that he was most impressed with the way that the Strategic Maneuver filly handled a heavy track in trackwork earlier this week and is confident that she is a genuine chance in the Group 3 Widden Stakes (1100m) this weekend.
“She is a lovely filly,” Berry said.
“I rode her early on in the week and she worked on the heavy grass and worked very strongly.
“The wet track didn’t affect her at all and her form reads very well.
“She is a filly that I believe has good ability and the big tick with her is that she worked on a wet track and handled it no problem.
“Hopefully that is the case on Saturday and she can feature herself in the winner’s circle.”
Tempt Me Not was settled towards the tail of the field when she made her racing debut in the Victory Vein Plate and would likely have recorded her maiden race win if she received clear running in the final stages.
Berry said that he plans to settle Tempt Me Not off the pace in the 2015 Widden Stakes and he is hopeful that the Gai Waterhouse-trained duo of Giulietta and Pierrette will ensure there is plenty of early pace in the Group 3 event, which will give his filly the best possible chance to finish over the top of her rivals.
“She has only had the one start and was an unlucky second and didn’t really get much room at the top of the straight and had to pull out and chase the leader down and only just missed,” Berry said.
“There looks to be good pace in the race with Giulietta and Pierrette and the O’Shea horse, so she will probably be sitting about fifth or sixth.”
Tempt Me Not is currently available at 2015 Widden Stakes odds of $7.50, while Giulietta ($3.60) is currently favourite from Fireworks ($4.80), Igraine ($5.50), Lake Geneva ($8) and Always Allison ($8.50).
