Trainer Mark Webb is banking on the soft winter tracks empowering talented mare Johannapine, who is set to bounce back from a Group One failure in the Oakleigh Plate.
The Johannesburg four-year-old’s best runs have been on rain-affected ground and with showers forecast she should get ideal conditions when she resumes in Saturday’s PFD Food Services Handicap (1000m) at Caulfield.
A winner of three of her five starts, Johannapine’s only unplaced run was in the Oakleigh Plate on a firm Caulfield track in February when she pulled up badly after being beaten 3-1/2 lengths and finishing 14th to Woorim.
“She jarred up pretty badly that day so we have brought her back for a winter campaign on wet tracks only,” Webb said.
Webb said apart from having niggling knee problems which were compounded by dry tracks, her breathing had also been an issue.
“She is a bit thick in the wind and because she can jar up we don’t even gallop her much any more,” Webb said.
He said most of Johannapine’s work was restricted to swimming, beach work, and the water walker.
“She is a very, very classy mare and if she didn’t have any issues she would definitely be a black type sort of horse in mares grade,” Webb said.
“We are taking it one run at a time for the next three or four runs just to see how she is going.
“Based on whether she gets 1000 metres only, or 1100 metres and 1200 metres, there are some nice options in late July and even an early spring race.”
Johannapine’s wins have been at Ballarat and Sandown in June last year and Caulfield in February this year.
Last Monday week she relished the heavy ground when she won a barrier trial at Cranbourne and on Saturday she takes on the boys at Caulfield where Glen Boss will ride her for the first time.
In-form nine-year-old Galbraith, a last start winner at Caulfield, has a fitness edge and should again be very competitive while Eight Bills, Beyond Pardon, Queen Delight, Alpha Proxima and Broken all have good wet track form.
