Tony Noonan’s decision to dodge star filly Atlantic Jewel in the Sapphire Stakes with Varenna Miss to run her in the Group One TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick on Saturday has led to Hugh Bowman riding the mare for the first time.
Noonan said Craig Williams had been engaged to ride the Redoute’s Choice five-year-old in the Sapphire (1200m).
But when trainer Mark Kavanagh accepted with Atlantic Jewel in the Group Two fillies and mares event, Noonan switched to the $1 million weight-for-age TJ Smith (1200m).
Williams was already booked to ride the David Payne-trained Master Of Design in the TJ Smith so Bowman was snapped up to ride Varenna Miss in the small field of six.
Noonan said he had taken note of suggestions that the unbeaten Atlantic Jewel “could be the next best horse in the country” outside unbeaten superstar sprinter Black Caviar.
“Either way, realistically Rain Affair and Foxwedge are very good horses,” Noonan said.
“But what swayed us was that we’ve got a mare that is already a Group Two winner and the opportunity to run in Group Ones doesn’t come along all the time.
“If she happened to run into a placing it’s going to increase her stud value so that basically got us over the line and with the filly (Atlantic Jewel) running in the Sapphire.”
Varenna Miss has won five of her 13 starts for more than $300,000 in prizemoney, including a win in the Group Two QTC Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm in June last year.
But Noonan believes the best is yet to come.
“I think just now she’s really started to physically develop and mentally know what she’s about,” he said.
The Mornington trainer has had Varenna Miss in Sydney preparing for her first-up assignment and she won a 740m Randwick barrier trial on March 26.
“She’s got a pretty extensive preparation in front of her in Queensland and this is her first start back for five months,” Noonan said.
“But she’s done enough work and I would expect her to run very well.
“I’d be pleasantly surprised if we were able to win but she’s right on the heels as far as those better horses are concerned.
“She’s not completely wound up as yet because she has a trip ahead of her and a program that will hopefully see her run in the Winter Stakes (Tattersall’s Tiara) which she ran in last year.”
Varenna Miss was spelled after finishing fifth to Yosei in the Group One Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 25 last year and returned in the spring in Melbourne where she was unplaced in three Group races.
The $500,000 Tiara will be run on June 23.
Varenna Miss and Master Of Design are $51 joint outsiders in the TJ Smith with TAB Sportsbet which has prolific winner Rain Affair $1.95 favourite ahead of last-start Group One William Reid Stakes winner Foxwedge at $2.20.
Rain Affair’s stablemate Neeson is at $13 with Hallowell Belle at $17.
The Gai Waterhouse-trained Hallowell Belle has been scratched from Friday’s Listed PJ Bell Stakes (1200m) at Canterbury.
