Despite not managing to pick up a placing at Doomben on Saturday Matamata trainer Graham Richardson was delighted with the respective efforts of stablemates Wildflower and Volpe Veloce, who made their first appearance at the Queensland Winter carnival.
(The) Wildflower made up good ground to finish midfield in the Gr.3 Premier’s Cup (2200m) while a slight blunder at the start cost Volpe Veloce a higher placing in the Gr.1 Kingsford-Smith Cup (1350m) later in the day.
Richardson, who prepares the pair with co-trainer Gavin Parker, was looking forward to the coming weeks with the pair as he prepared to board a plane back to New Zealand on Sunday morning.
“I thought on the whole they both went very well and I can’t wait to see them line-up again,” he said.
“Wildflower didn’t have much luck as she got well back and was really only rounding in to her race in the last little bit.
“I thought she was very strong to the line and it took Jake (Bayliss) another 1000m to pull her up. She really needed that run and will strip a much fitter horse next time.
“We haven’t really decided on a target for her as there are any number of options that include both the Brisbane or Ipswich Cups. We will have a discussion after she’s had a day or two to get over this run but it’s nice to know she is on track at this stage.”
Richardson was left rueing Volpe Veloce’s powers of anticipation which cost her dearly at the start of her Group One assignment on Saturday.
“Jake said she just got her timing wrong as she charged the gate and clipped it as it opened,” he said.
“That cost her half a length and she had to settle further back than was ideal. They didn’t go that hard in front so it was only a sprint home which meant she wasn’t really a winning chance from that far back.
“She got to the line nicely though and she will also take improvement out of the race.
“She goes best with her races spaced so the Tatts Tiara next month is where we will aim with her now.”
The Gr.1 Tattersall’s Club Tiara (1350m) at Doomben is the feature event on the last day of the Brisbane Winter Carnival on 23 June.
