The Tattersalls Tiara is proving a battle of attrition and Grahame Begg has his fingers crossed for a safe week with his representative, Splash Back.
The imported mare will chase a maiden Group 1 success in Saturday’s $700,000 event for fillies and mares at Eagle Farm.
Splash Back was promoted to the head of betting following the weekend’s news that Dane Ripper Stakes winner She’s Got Pizzazz would be joining Group 1 star Fangirl and Stradbroke Handicap winner Spicy Martini in bypassing Australia’s final Group 1 of the season.
You won’t hear Begg complaining about not having that trio for competition, his confidence buoyed by the way his six-year-old has come through her sixth placing behind Spicy Martini in the Stradbroke Handicap on June 13.
“It surprised me that it’s fallen away a little bit in a sense – Fangirl’s gone for a break, Spicy Martini has gone for a break, they’re in the spelling paddock – but it will still be a competitive race,” Begg said.
“She’s come through the Stradbroke really well and we’re absolutely looking forward to it.
“It’s weight-for-age, it’s over 1400 and she’s rock hard fit now.”
Splash Back came up with barrier six in the 17-horse Tatt’s Tiara with one emergency, and Jordan Childs returns aboard her.
Second in the race last year from barrier 4, Abounding drew the widest gate while last start Group 3 Dark Jewel Stake (1400m) winner Tuileries drew barrier 3 with Manaal in nine.
Splash Back, the six-year-old daughter of Le Havre, will be lining up for the fifth run of the campaign on Saturday, the highlight of her lead-in being a second career Group 2 win in the Victory Stakes (1200m) on May 2.
That came after a first-up seventh in the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes (1200m), while her Stradbroke appearance was preceded by a ninth placing in the Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m), four weeks after the Victory Stakes win.
“She came off a good layoff between runs, but we aimed the prep that way,” Begg said.
“There was going to be a gap between Sydney and the Victory Stakes and then she had the break between the next run.
“This was the one we had in mind since last spring, the Tatt’s Tiara, a weight-for-age race for mares. It’s the race that we earmarked.”
