Darryl Sherer
Black-type targets are on the horizon for four-win mare Naantali who will line-up in the Big Swing Gold Handicap (1600m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained mare has pleased her connections this campaign, but a potential hat-trick of wins was cut short last start when she was runner-up over 1700m at Caulfield.
“The race maps a lot better than last start, it maps pretty similar to when she won at The Valley (two starts back, over 1600m),” Maher said.
“Last-start here at Caulfield she got on the chewy a little bit and probably over did it going up the hill, it took the shine off her finish.
“But back to The Valley, a good draw (barrier 3) and back to the mile, there’s a lot to like about her.”
Depending on how she performs on Saturday, the $180,000 Karaka Yearling Sale purchase could be set for her first tilt at black-type later this month in the Gr.2 Stocks Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley.
“We’ll just take her one step at a time,” Maher said. “We’ll have a look at her on Saturday and if she trains on I might just freshen her up a little bit and she could go back to The Valley for the Stocks Stakes and have a bit of a crack at black-type.”