By Ray Hickson
Trainer Mark Newnham is banking on what looks to be a generous tempo in the $160,000 Bentley Choisir Stakes (1100m) at Randwick on Tuesday to bring his talented mare Blazing Miss into play in the feature sprint.
For Blazing Miss it’ll be a springboard back into stakes company as she has her first run since she finished fifth in the Listed Ramornie Handicap (1200m) at Grafton in July.
The mare ran third in the Choisir last year on a wet track behind former stablemate Invictus Salute and Newnham expects her to use barrier one to enjoy a nice run just off the speed.
“She’s come back very well, her trials have been fantastic,’’ he said.
“But there’ll be no chance of her leading with that pace in the race. She enjoys a bit of room, from barrier one that may be a bit tricky because she is a big mare.
“She ran well in this race last year and she’ll progress to stakes races after this.”
Lord Olympus wins at Warwick Farm on October 4
The five-year-old won her first trial a month ago in good style over 800m then finished third in a 1045m heat at Randwick on October 19 and she does have a handy first-up record.
Newnham said Blazing Miss will tackle either the Listed Starlight Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on November 27 or a stakes race in Queensland on the same day.
“It’s nice to have a feature race on this day at Randwick. It’s good prizemoney and it gives a good progression to some Listed races coming up,’’ he said.
Alysha Collett rides Blazing Miss, who was $12 with TAB on Monday.
The Choisir is also a starting point for the preparation of Eleven Eleven as he heads towards another Magic Millions bid in the summer.
The gelding kicked off his autumn prep in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes, running a respectable seventh behind Nature Strip, but is generally a horse that needs a couple of runs to hit his best form.
He showed his readiness with a third behind Riodini in a 1200m trial but Hickman would just be happy to see him hitting the line strongly.
And the race shapes as a D-Day for last year’s Golden Slipper placegetter Mamaragan who showed a return to form is imminent with an eye-catching fourth behind Lord Olympus over 1000m at Warwick Farm a month ago.
All the fields, form and replays for Tuesday’s Randwick meeting