Bonneval and Jon Snow continue their spring campaigns in the Caulfield Stakes which is also an option for fellow Group One-winning stablemate Lizzie L’Amour.
Along with Saturday’s $1 million Group One Caulfield Stakes, Lizzie L’Amour will also be nominated for Sunday’s Listed Cranbourne Cup (2025m) as connections try to boost her chances to secure a Caulfield Cup start.
While Bonneval and Jon Snow have no issues getting a start but Lizzie L’Amour was equal 30th in the latest ballot order for Saturday’s week’s $3 million handicap on the eve of second acceptances on Tuesday.
A Group One winner in New Zealand, Lizzie L’Amour weakened out of the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes first-up and was found to have suffered atrial fibrillation.
She returned to Moonee Valley for the Stocks Stakes (1600m) and was a luckless runner, charging home for sixth.
“She’s probably still under-rated unfortunately,” co-trainer Andrew Forsman said.
“She hasn’t had a fair chance to prove herself so hopefully she gets a crack at it on the weekend.
“We’d like to get her there (Caulfield Cup), so it’s just whether she can get in.”
He said the Cranbourne Cup might be the easier race to win to boost her hopes and he and training partner Murray Baker would weigh up the options.
“Hopefully we pull the right rein and pick the right race for her because she is going very well,” Forsman said.
Star mare Bonneval has won the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes and Group One Underwood Stakes this spring to earn Caulfield Cup favouritism.
She has had early support for Saturday’s race and is at $2.90 behind Hartnell ($2.70), who she beat last start.
“If she ran a couple of nice races heading into the Caulfield Cup we would have been happy, but she’s definitely exceeded expectations,” Forsman said.
“We’ve been rapt, knowing that she’s going to get better. But she’ll need to.
He said Bonneval turned in her best piece of work last Thursday since arriving in Melbourne from New Zealand.
“That’s obviously very encouraging,” he said.
Australian Derby winner Jon Snow returned to winning form when in the Group Three JRA Cup (2040m) last start and Forsman said he had also come on well from that run.
Forsman said at this stage the Caulfield Cup was the plan for Bonneval and Jon Snow.
The 20 Caulfield Stakes nominations include northern hemisphere-trained Taj Mahal, Johannes Vermeer, Riven Light and Folkswood who will have completed quarantine by race day.
