By Ray Hickson
Trainer Annabel Neasham will have a clearer picture of where star recruit Amelia’s Jewel makes her return after Monday’s barrier trial hitout at Warwick Farm but it’s all roads to the TAB Everest for stablemate Sunshine In Paris.
Amelia’s Jewel joined Neasham and co-trainer Rob Archibald from Perth trainer Simon Miller a couple of months ago to continue her career in the eastern states and Tommy Berry will take her through her paces in a 900m trial.
Neasham said she’ll likely follow the Zaaki formula by going straight to the 1400m of the Tramway Stakes on September 7.
“At this stage I’m thinking Tramway but we will let the trials do the talking,” she said.
“I said to Walshy (owner Peter Walsh), he’s left it to me, and I said ‘it’s the race Zaaki won twice’ and he said ‘that will do’.”
Amelia’s Jewel has raced once in Sydney for an unlucky 11th in the $10m Golden Eagle last spring and her last win was in September last year when she downed Pride Of Jenni in the Stocks Stakes (1600m).
The five-year-old will trial again as Neasham says she’ll take plenty of benefit from her first public hitout.
“She still looks a little bit round and she will tighten up for the trial,’’ she said.
“We’re learning about her all the time but she is very straightforward. She has come to us in fantastic order.
“She will have a quiet trial and then we’ll give her a stronger one in a couple of weeks.”
Neasham is sticking to the same program as last spring with Sunshine In Paris by kicking off her Everest campaign in the Group 2 Sheraco Stakes (1200m) on September 14.
She'll also trial over 900m.
A ligament strain cost her a shot at the $20 million sprint classic last year, not long after she secured the Aquis slot by wining the Sheraco, but she returned in the autumn with a narrow defeat in the Group 1 The Galaxy.
The difference this year is that the mare’s owner John Camilleri purchased the Aquis slot and plans to run her in the Everest so Neasham has certainty about her target.
“She is coming up nicely,” Neasham said.
“She will just have her usual quiet trial. She is never the flashest of triallers but I’m looking forward to getting her underway.
“It will help clean her up in the coat and get her that step closer to the races.
“She will have a couple of trials and then probably go to the Sheraco. Same as last year.
“We haven’t got to chase a slot, we’ve just got to keep her in one piece this year.”
It’ll be a busy trial session as far as spring prospects go with the likes of Group 1 winners Manaal, Southport Tycoon and Rediener plus Buenos Noches, Kimochi, Ceolwulf and Traffic Warden all warming up.
All the fields, form and replays for Monday's Warwick Farm trials