Romantic Maid
Fresh from cleaning up the three-year-old classics during The Championships, the Kiwis are back in Sydney on Saturday warming up for more Group One glory in Brisbane.
Trainer Roger James is eager for promising filly Romantic Maid to take home the lion's share of $85,000 in a Benchmark 75 Handicap (1900m) at Rosehill as she heads towards the Queensland Oaks next month.
Romantic Maid has won two of her four starts but has earned just over $16,000.
She was sent out favourite in the Gr.2 Championship Stakes (2100m) at Ellerslie on April 23 but threw jockey Danielle Johnson with a lap to go in an incident that caused some chaos as Johnson was still on the track at the end of the race.
James said the filly took no harm from the mishap and is looking forward to better fortune at Rosehill.
"She clipped heels at the post the first time and dropped the rider," James said. "She didn't fall herself, so the horse is fine.
"She's a promising filly who was impressive in winning her first two starts. So we're here trying to amass enough money to get to Queensland. I do think she is an Oaks type."
Singapore-based jockey Michael Rodd will be in Sydney for Saturday's meeting and has been booked to steer Romantic Maid.
James rates Romantic Maid favourably with her stablemate The Hassler, who won the Championship Stakes and is also being aimed at Queensland. The Hassler ran ninth in the New Zealand Derby, finishing under two lengths from Australian Derby winner Tavago.
"I don't know a lot about the competition but I'm hoping for a guide on where she is," James said. "Before her last run she finished quickly to run fourth behind The Hassler and on that she started favourite in the race at Ellerslie."
James also has Zabeel three-year-old Von Tunzelman, a winner at his only start at Te Aroha, nominated for Saturday's race though he suspects he will be balloted out as he was from the final event at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
Trainer Roger James is eager for promising filly Romantic Maid to take home the lion's share of $85,000 in a Benchmark 75 Handicap (1900m) at Rosehill as she heads towards the Queensland Oaks next month.
Romantic Maid has won two of her four starts but has earned just over $16,000.
She was sent out favourite in the Gr.2 Championship Stakes (2100m) at Ellerslie on April 23 but threw jockey Danielle Johnson with a lap to go in an incident that caused some chaos as Johnson was still on the track at the end of the race.
James said the filly took no harm from the mishap and is looking forward to better fortune at Rosehill.
"She clipped heels at the post the first time and dropped the rider," James said. "She didn't fall herself, so the horse is fine.
"She's a promising filly who was impressive in winning her first two starts. So we're here trying to amass enough money to get to Queensland. I do think she is an Oaks type."
Singapore-based jockey Michael Rodd will be in Sydney for Saturday's meeting and has been booked to steer Romantic Maid.
James rates Romantic Maid favourably with her stablemate The Hassler, who won the Championship Stakes and is also being aimed at Queensland. The Hassler ran ninth in the New Zealand Derby, finishing under two lengths from Australian Derby winner Tavago.
"I don't know a lot about the competition but I'm hoping for a guide on where she is," James said. "Before her last run she finished quickly to run fourth behind The Hassler and on that she started favourite in the race at Ellerslie."
James also has Zabeel three-year-old Von Tunzelman, a winner at his only start at Te Aroha, nominated for Saturday's race though he suspects he will be balloted out as he was from the final event at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.