Just Like Gaby has a long way to go to match the deeds of her Group 1 winning dam, but she can go a long way to improving her record if successful in a Stakes race at Moonee Valley.
The Ciaron Maher-trained three-year-old is a daughter of Loving Gaby who was a dual Group 1 winner at The Valley.
Loving Gaby won the Manikato Stakes (1200m) as a three-year-old in 2019 before returning the following autumn to claim the William Reid Stakes.
Her daughter lines up at The Valley on Saturday, ironically on William Reid Stakes Day, but to contest the Group 3 Don Casboult Classic (1200m).
It will be Just Like Gaby’s second tilt at a Stakes race having finished second-last in the Group 3 Quezette Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield at her second racetrack appearance.
Spelled after that race, Just Like Gaby resumed to finish second in a maiden at The Valley on January 24 before winning her last two starts at the track, the most recent a benchmark 64 race, over 1200m, leading throughout on February 28.
Maher’s assistant trainer Jack Turnbull said Just Like Gaby still had a long way to go to match the deeds of mum but was slowly starting to put it together.
“She’s done nothing wrong,” Turnbull said.
“She keeps improving and being a three-year-old, at a track that she’s won at and has run well at a few times, it’s a good opportunity.
“We know it’s going to be a tough task for her, but a filly with her page, and pedigree, and her liking for The Valley, it’s there, so we thought why not.”
Loving Gaby was an imposing type as a young horse and had the ability to match.
Turnbull said Just Like Gaby was also a similar type to her mother but a slow maturing filly.
“She’s still got a long way to go,” Turnbull said.
“They both like The Valley and she’s still got a more to come, but she needs to keep improving to get anywhere her mother.
“She was physically slow developing and slow mentally maturing, and she still does a bit wrong, but the main thing is she hasn’t reached her ceiling yet.”
