ColetteĀ is set to run on Caulfield CupĀ DayĀ but not in the race Godolphin or her trainer James CummingsĀ had been hoping for.
Instead of contesting theĀ Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m), the five-year-old daughter of Hallowed Crown will instead contest the Group 2Ā TristarcĀ Stakes (1400m) on Saturday.
Colette had been tracking nicely for the Caulfield Cup, having finished sixth to Behemoth in the Group 1Ā MemsieĀ Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield and then fifth toĀ IncentiviseĀ in the Group 1Ā MakybeĀ Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington (1600m) on September 18.
But a foot abscess on the eve of the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 2 ruled her out of that race while the Cummings teamĀ in MelbourneĀ ran out of time to have the mare in order to run last Saturday in the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m).
Colette had been high up in Caulfield Cup markets before the Turnbull meeting and would have been ideally suited in Saturday’s feature on the rain-affected ground.
As a three-year-old Colette won the Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) on heavy ground while last spring she was successful in the Golden Eagle (1500m) atĀ Rosehill, again on a heavy track.
Having contested weight-for-age races at her two runs this campaign, Colette is back againstĀ mares’Ā company on Saturday and was the $2.40 favourite for the race with TABĀ on Friday.
“TragicallyĀ she isĀ going to miss out on the Caulfield Cup,” Cummings said.
“She just had a foot abscess that took too many days forĀ us,Ā and I was faced with the option to really get her going fast in gallops or just take the safer option and put her first.
“At set weights with penalties, Colette is pretty well in here despite the fact she’s five weeks between runs, butĀ we think she’s right now.”
“She’ll certainly tell us whether she’s missed the boat this spring but we’re feeling pretty goodĀ asĀ she has bounced back from that minor issue.”
