Sofia Rosa
Darryl Sherer
Danielle Johnson's booking for Gr.1 Australian Oaks winner Sofia Rosa in Saturday's Gr.1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington is a perfect fit, according to owner Lib Petagna's racing manager Bruce Perry.
The Cambridge jockey has ridden the Stephen Marsh-trained Makfi four-year-old mare on four occasions and each time passed the finishing post in first place, although she was subsequently relegated behind Fanatic in last season's Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham.
"We're rapt to have Danielle over to ride her. She knows her well, gets on well with her and she'll be able to give us a good line on her," Perry said.
"Sometimes a good three-year-old filly can take a while to get back to their best form as a four-year-old, so it will be great to have Danielle measure just where she's at."
Sofia Rosa is a notoriously difficult horse to ride, but Johnson has gelled well with her and will chase her first Group One win in Australia on a mare expected to be better suited this weekend than she was when 10th resuming in last month's Gr.1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.
"We thought she'd go well in the Memsie because she's got such a good record first-up, but they went that hard that for a staying filly coming back, she just struggled, just as quite a few of them did," Perry said.
"But she's come through that race well and Stephen is happy with her. She didn't have a trial going into that first one so we're forgiving of the run and we're just wanting to see her hitting the line well on Saturday.
"If she runs well, she could go to the Turnbull Stakes for her next one, which will suit her getting down in the weights."
Petagna's colours will again be prominent at Flemington with the Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained first-up Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate winner Saracino tackling the Gr.2 Danehill stakes (1200m).
"We're very happy with him; can't fault him. Damien Oliver went and rode him in work and he was happy and he had a quiet jumpout last Friday which he won easily," Perry said.
"He's hard to line up in this one. We know we've got a pretty good horse, but there's a couple of other horses in there that in time we might look back and say 'gee, there were some really top horses come out of that race'."
Sarcino opened as a $7 third favourite with most Australian bookmakers in a market headed by last-start Gr.3 McNeil Stakes winner Defcon.
Sofia Rosa was a $26 outsider after drawing barrier 13 for the Makybe Diva Stakes. - NZ Racing Desk.
The Cambridge jockey has ridden the Stephen Marsh-trained Makfi four-year-old mare on four occasions and each time passed the finishing post in first place, although she was subsequently relegated behind Fanatic in last season's Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham.
"We're rapt to have Danielle over to ride her. She knows her well, gets on well with her and she'll be able to give us a good line on her," Perry said.
"Sometimes a good three-year-old filly can take a while to get back to their best form as a four-year-old, so it will be great to have Danielle measure just where she's at."
Sofia Rosa is a notoriously difficult horse to ride, but Johnson has gelled well with her and will chase her first Group One win in Australia on a mare expected to be better suited this weekend than she was when 10th resuming in last month's Gr.1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.
"We thought she'd go well in the Memsie because she's got such a good record first-up, but they went that hard that for a staying filly coming back, she just struggled, just as quite a few of them did," Perry said.
"But she's come through that race well and Stephen is happy with her. She didn't have a trial going into that first one so we're forgiving of the run and we're just wanting to see her hitting the line well on Saturday.
"If she runs well, she could go to the Turnbull Stakes for her next one, which will suit her getting down in the weights."
Petagna's colours will again be prominent at Flemington with the Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained first-up Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate winner Saracino tackling the Gr.2 Danehill stakes (1200m).
"We're very happy with him; can't fault him. Damien Oliver went and rode him in work and he was happy and he had a quiet jumpout last Friday which he won easily," Perry said.
"He's hard to line up in this one. We know we've got a pretty good horse, but there's a couple of other horses in there that in time we might look back and say 'gee, there were some really top horses come out of that race'."
Sarcino opened as a $7 third favourite with most Australian bookmakers in a market headed by last-start Gr.3 McNeil Stakes winner Defcon.
Sofia Rosa was a $26 outsider after drawing barrier 13 for the Makybe Diva Stakes. - NZ Racing Desk.