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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Annabel Neasham is considering getting experimental with classy mare Amelia’s Jewel this campaign but her immediate focus is to return well at Randwick on Saturday then aim up at some Group 1s through the carnival.

Trainer Annabel Neasham (Pic: Bradley Photos).

It’s the former Perth mare’s second campaign with Neasham, and co-trainer Rob Archibald, and she’s recorded three seconds from five starts including a Group 1 placing last spring.

Neasham is rapt to have secured James McDonald to partner the five-year-old in the Group 2 $300,000 Proven Thoroughbreds Guy Walter Stakes (1400m) and she said on Sky Sports Radio she’s expecting a positive return after two handy trials.

“I’m really happy with her, she’s trialled up well and looks great,’’ she said.

“We’ll get the first run out of the way, we’ve obviously got the Coolmore a couple of weeks later as a possibility.

“There’s the Queen Of The Turf later on in the carnival as well so there’s quite a few nice races coming up for her.”

Amelia’s Jewel has only been tried beyond 1600m once in her career and that was at three when she won the Group 1 Northerly Stakes over 1800m in 2022.

While the Group 1 Coolmore Classic on March 15 is the first aim, Neasham said later on in the preparation she’d like to step up in distance.

“At some stage I’m quite keen to maybe try her beyond a mile, whether that’s later on in a Hollindale or Doomben Cup I don’t know, but at this stage we’ll look at kicking her off over 1400m with a view of going to 1500m at Rosehill,’’ she said.

Fawkner Park commences a campaign aimed at the Tancred Stakes in a month in the Group 1 $1m TAB Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m) though Neasham is realistic about his chances first-up.

The six-year-old, who won the Rosehill Cup back in November before a break, has followed the field around in his two barrier trials and will no doubt improve with the run.

“It’s a hard task for a first-up effort against the likes of Via Sistina but it’s a good starting point,’’ Neasham said.

“We’ll just look to see him settle and hit the line then he’ll step up in distance.”

The Warwick Farm trainer is also under no illusion about the task facing Lilac and Castanya in the Group 1 $750,000 The Chase Surround Stakes (1400m) but says both will only improve on their promising last start efforts behind Lady Shenandoah.

Lilac finished third at her second run back in the Light Fingers two weeks ago while Castanya ran eighth having not raced for 10 months.

Neasham respects that Lady Shenandoah is the horse to beat again but is confident both can be competitive.

“I think everyone’s conceded she’s going to be mighty hard to beat,’’ she said.

“Lilac got that important Group 2 black type placing behind her and Lady Of Camelot last start.

“It was a brave run from her. It was the logical step to go two weeks into this, it’s been the target for her and she makes her own luck up on speed.

“Castanya has been a long while off the scene, she had a setback after her two-year-old year.

“I thought she was as good as anything through the line in the Light Fingers so she’s going to really suit being up in trip.”

Amelia's Jewel's latest trial at Rosehill on February 18

Annabel Neasham on Hillier (Race 4): “He was great in the Canonbury, running second there, but he then didn’t get cover last start and he has to have cover. That would be the main key for Saturday, making sure he can switch off because if he can we will certainly see him finish off a lot better.”

On Peleus (Race 4): “He’s having his second start and he’s another horse we really like, he’s doing everything right at home and seems to have come through his first-up run. He will be better again over a little bit further.”

On Tupakara (Race 5): “We were a bit disappointed in the Golden Gift, we thought she’d run a bit better, I think she’d maybe come to the end of it. We ran her in the Gimcrack, she was brilliant there, then it’s a long wait to the Golden Gift to keep her simmering along. She’s had a break, she’s come back and trialled well and we’ve always had a nice opinion of her.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s meeting at Randwick