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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Annabel Neasham has made good use of the Group 2 $300,000 Ikon Tramway Stakes (1400m) in recent years as a spring kick off point and she’s confident it’s the ideal place to kick off for new stable star Amelia’s Jewel.

Trainer Annabel Neasham (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The Warwick Farm trainer, who co-trains with Rob Archibald, won the race in 2021 and 2022 with the now retired Zaaki and she said it gives Amelia’s Jewel the chance to show Sydney what she’s made of.

The five-year-old’s only appearance in Sydney to date came in last year’s Golden Eagle where she was on the wrong end of some interference and finished well beaten.

“She has only had the one run here, which was a bit of a disaster,’’ Neasham said.

“So she has still got to prove that she is as good going the Sydney way but I see no reason why not, she is so straightforward.

“It should be a perfect race to kick her off in, although obviously we’re still getting to know her.

“She is going to tighten up for the run. You will see in the yard she has still got a bit of tightening up to do.

“But that’s how we like to start them so we’ve still got something to work with for the rest of the campaign.”

Amelia’s Jewel, $2.50 with TAB on Wednesday, opened her previous spring with a win in the Group 3 Let’s Elope Stakes over 1400m at Flemington before she ran down Pride Of Jenni to win the Stocks Stakes at a mile.

Neasham said her two barrier trials since transferring from Simon Miller have pleased, and in some ways surprised, her particularly with how sharp she was winning at Hawkesbury in the latest.

“I’m really happy with her. We wanted to give her a bit of a squeeze because, to me, she still looked a bit pretty,’’ she said.

“But Tommy (Berry) said he gave her a squeeze and he didn’t expect her to just instantly be there.

“The heart rate tracker on her was really good. Simon Miller had said she’s got very good readings on her heart rate tracker and I looked at it after the trial and I see what he means.”

Given Amelia’s Jewel only joined Neasham following the Goodwood in Adelaide on May 11 the timing wasn’t right to make it to the Winx Stakes.

It’s probably not a bad thing, though, given Neasham is wary of the pressure of preparing a high profile horse and having the expectation of a Group 1 win first-up wasn’t necessary.

“I suppose there is a little bit of pressure there,’’ she said.

“I’d rather see her in our stable than someone else’s. There is a little bit of pressure but I get such a nice feel off the owners.

“Peter Walsh is a great man and Simon Miller, he’s great. I rang him after her trial the other day and said, ‘what do you think?’ and he has been great giving me information as well.”

The Group 1 $5 million King Charles III Stakes (1600m) on TAB Everest Day shapes as the major target for Amelia’s Jewel in Sydney and Neasham said kicking off her campaign on a good track is perfect.

While all eyes are on Amelia’s Jewel, Neasham said stablemate My Oberon is set to run a cheeky race first-up as he did in the race last year.

The eight-year-old hasn’t raced since the Cox Plate but showed his quality prior to that with placings in the Doncaster Mile and King Charles III.

“I feel like he is moving really fluently and seems fresh and happy and, for an older gelding, that’s what we’re all looking for,’’ she said.

“He won the Crystal Mile, and he hasn’t won since, but he was beaten in a photo in the Doncaster and he placed in the King Charles. He’s a good horse.”

Amelia's Jewel wins Hawkesbury trial on August 26

My Oberon was also a winner at the Hawkesbury barrier trials on August 26 and Neasham said he’ll likely have a similar program to last year though she wouldn't be against chasing wet tracks.

“I visually like the way he went about that trial. He just seems in a good headspace,’’ she said.

“His best two results have been on the wet, William Haggas had thought he didn’t go on the wet so it’s probably new to him.

“At this stage we will try to keep him here. Last year he did Tramway, Seven (Stakes), Epsom. He went every two weeks.”

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