Co-trainer Graham Richardson couldn’t be happier as he gets set to send his star mare Volpe Veloce to Queensland later in the week.
This season’s Gr.1 Sistema Railway winner looked a picture of health as she tuned up for her upcoming Brisbane assignments with a gritty run for second under a 60kg impost at Te Rapa on Saturday.
It was the mare’s first run since finishing midfield in the Gr.1 Telegraph at Trentham in late January and one that Richardson was keen to get under the mare’s belt before she embarks on her trans-Tasman campaign.
“We had her pretty close to the mark on Saturday although she definitely needed the run before she gets on the plane to Brisbane,” he said.
“It was a tough ask with 60kgs on her back, but I was delighted the way she hit the line behind a smart mare in Love Affair.
“We just got a little too far off the pace and had to angle out in the straight which cost her in the end. She tried hard and probably ran the quickest last 600m sectional so all in all I was happy with the run.”
Co-trainer Gavin Parker will travel to Brisbane with the mare who will have her first start in the Gr.1 Darley Kingsford Smith Stakes (1300m), formerly known as the BTC Cup, at Eagle Farm on 26 May.
“We are going to try and space her races out, so she will have her first run in the Kingsford Smith Stakes on 26 May,” said Richardson.
“We will nominate her for the Stradbroke on the 9th of June but might miss that in favour of the Winter Stakes, which is for the fillies and mares a week later. The Winter Stakes is the main aim, but we will keep our options open with her as you just don’t know what can happen.”
Formerly known as the Tatts Tiara, the Winter Stakes (1400m) is the final Group One event of the Queensland Winter Carnival, with Richardson looking forward to the chance to test his charge against some quality Australian opposition.
“It’s been quite a few years since I was in Brisbane for the winter so I’m really looking forward to going back with a mare that we think is right up to the best of them,” he said.
“Gavin is going across to be with her on a daily basis and I will pop across a few days before each race.
“It’s going to be a massive challenge but one that we are going to give our best shot.”
