KEMBLA Grange trainer Ross McConville has delayed a decision as to whether he will chase a two-track double tomorrow.
McConville, who made the trip to Newcastle yesterday to score with the lightly-raced South Of India, has Either Oar (pictured) engaged at Rosehill Gardens and Thaibeefsalade on his home track.
The latter is a definite starter in the Super Maiden Plate (1500m), but he is yet to give the “green light” for Either Oar to seek back-to-back city victories, in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1200m) against her own sex.
The six-year-old mare clinched her fifth success when resuming against her own sex, in a similar race over 1100m at Royal Randwick on December 30.
“I’m unsure whether we will go to Sydney tomorrow or wait another week,” McConville said this morning.
“I’m concerned about Either Oar’s weight (60kg) from an outside barrier.
“I will have a good think about it and probably make a decision later today.”’
Should McConville decide to run Either Oar in the 2.55pm race at Rosehill, he will have time to return to Kembla Grange to saddle Thaibeefsalade for her home track assignment at 5.08pm.
Shaun Guymer, who won on South Of India at Newcastle, has the mount on the three-year-old, who has never finished further back than fourth in all six starts, and has been placed at three of her last four.
Five of her career starts have been on her home track, and McConville understandably has chosen a $60,000 Super Maiden in a bid to get a breakthrough with her.
“The only time we took her away was at Nowra on December 10 when she ran fourth and played up a bit that day,” he said.
“We decided to keep her at home to try to get her Maiden out of the way, and then give her a break.
“Her two runs since have been good, and I feel the 1500m tomorrow won’t be a problem for her.”
Coincidentally, Thaibeefsalade’s now retired older brother Chicansalade’s first win was in a similar 1500m Maiden Plate at Kembla Grange in January, 2019.
“The girls who work for Matthew Sandblom at Kingstar Farm bred this filly, and it would be nice to get a win for them,” McConville said.
After gamely chasing home Brohm Lake in a 1400m Maiden Handicap for fillies and mares at Kembla Grange on December 30, Thaibeefsalade comes up against the might of the Chris Waller stable tomorrow.
The champion trainer has already withdrawn Kadavar and Denote, but has five definite representatives and a possible sixth.
His starters are Dressel (Koby Jennings), Gleaming (Lee Magorrian), Princess Kaguya (Grant Buckley), Seafall (Jean Van Overmeire) and Discover (Christian Reith), and third emergency Alacrity (Mitchell Bell) needs one more scratching to make the final line-up.
That is likely to occur, as Kembla Grange trainer Anthony Mountney decided to run All Above in a four-horse field at Canberra today.
Waller’s Japanese-owned Princee Kaguya, a Zoustar three-year-old filly, fetched $750,000 as a 2022 Inglis Australian Easter yearling, and is making her debut after trialling on five occasions last year.
Leading Kembla Grange trainers Rob and Luke Price withdrew Monte Kate from a Gosford engagement today to give her the chance to secure back-to-back victories at home tomorrow, in the Class 1 Handicap (1300m).
. The rail is 6m out for the entire circuit, and the seven-race program begins at 1.53pm.
. Michael Craig’s selections are:
Race 1 - 1 Xtrarevz is racing in peak form
5 Old Gregg finished fast in Canberra win
11 Laskarina continues to perform well
Race 2 - 6 Hope Uno deserves to break through
5 Donegal Lights hard to beat again
7 Underground Music rarely runs a bad race
Race 3 - 4 Impulsivity excellent chance first up
7 Martindale Dancer fitter for 2 recent trials
5 Anini tried hard when resuming
Race 4 - 7 Outakandy extremely unlucky last start
9 Al Ras Blues could be hard to hold out
11 Fugitiva should be finishing on
Race 5 - 4 Monte Kate looks very promising
9 Pretty Sassy freshened up with a recent trial
10 Lichester worth another chance
Race 6 - 4 Jack Of Aces keeps improving
11 Gleaming nice effort when returning from a spell
5 Il Tevere has been racing well in the city
Race 7 - 6 Tavs Warwick Farm winner 2 starts back
8 Capital Heart never far away
3 Cream Rises should be each way value
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