A Listed victory over subsequent Coolmore Classic winner Krone is not a bad career highlight, so it is little surprise Alison Of Tuffy is following the same pattern that led to that win.
The mare relegated Krone to third in the Just Now Quality at Eagle Farm in December, eight days after she had finished unplaced on the Kensington track at Randwick.
Trainer Peter Robl is attempting to replicate that recipe and result, with the mare to take her place in Saturday’s Group 3 Hawkesbury Crown (1300m) before heading to Queensland for the Silk Stocking (1400m) at the Gold Coast a week later.
“It will be the only time I’d imagine she will ever beat Krone but it’s on her CV that she has beaten her,” Robl said.
“When she won that race in Brisbane, she backed up seven days apart, so we’ve kept the same format.
“So while she is there to run very well on Saturday, and I think she can run a much improved race, she is going to benefit from the run.”
Robl will be shooting for his first win in the fillies and mares feature but the race has been a happy hunting ground for Paul Snowden, who has trained four winners in its 10-year history.
He and co-trainer Paul saddle up three starters on Saturday, including 59kg top weight Reelem In Ruby who has been freshened since finishing midfield from an outside gate in the Coolmore Classic.
It was her third run back from a lengthy break and while she has another wide draw to contend with, jockey Tim Clark says she is good enough to feature with even luck.
“She’s got a tricky draw to contend with but on her day she is very capable,” Clark said.
“She will just need a bit of luck from that draw to try to get into a position where she doesn’t have too much work to do with the big weight.”
