Gai’s Choice has marked her return to trainer David Pfieffer’s team with a fast-finishing first-up victory at Rosehill.
Gai’s Choice did her early racing under the care of Pfieffer who prepared her to win in the Magic Millions Fillies and Mares Classic in January 2011.
Having been transferred to trainer Brett Partelle for the latter part of her previous preparation, Gai’s Choice was sent back to Pfieffer for her current campaign.
Gai's Choice winning at Rosehill racecourse today - Photo by Steve Hart
The four-year-old was aided by a strong tempo in Saturday’s Nepean Handicap (1100m) and came down the outside to beat Recorrido by a short neck with three-quarters of a length to third placed Empress Milly.
“It’s just good to get her back and back in that fashion,” Pfieffer said.
“It’s a nice way to start her back at a new stable.”
Gai’s Choice had trialled twice ahead of her return and Pfieffer said the mare had kept improving since her most recent trial win at Canterbury last month.
“I actually thought the 1100 metres might be too short for her today but we didn’t expect there to be as much pace as there was and that helped,” he said.
“We thought she would be about fifth or sixth in the run but she was back further than that and stormed home.”
Pfieffer pinpointed a 1300m event in Sydney in two weeks as the mare’s next target.
Meanwhile, three-year-old filly Emotional Circus looks set to get another chance in black-type company later this preparation after defeating Aeronautical by a head in the Camden Hire Handicap (1200m).
The Jason Coyle-trained filly finished out of the placings in the Listed Gosford Guineas at her previous start but jockey Christian Reith was confident of a better showing on firmer footing at Rosehill.
“She’s come back in fantastic order this preparation,” Reith said.
“Her trials were good and she proved it with an explosive first-up win at Warwick Farm.
“The other day on a tight track and on a wet track it didn’t suit her but coming here today I knew on a dry track and a bigger track she was going to be very hard to beat.”
