Trainer Simon Miller isn’t overconfident in the quality and prospects that await Amelia’s Jewel, but he is comfortable in her ability, and that whatever happens after Saturday’s Group 1 Northerly Stakes, Western Australia’s rising star will be staying in his stable.
If trainer openness had a definition, Simon Miller would be one of the leading contenders for the defining avatar.
With that, he has been a revelation since making the move from Victoria to Perth and sits among the top three metro trainers there in the season so far.
Miller will saddle up Amelia’s Jewel in $1.5 million Group 1 feature over 1800 metres on Day 4 of The Pinnacles at Ascot and with a week ahead until she reaches for a new peak, Miller is pleased with where the filly by French sire Siyouni is at.
“She’s really good. She’s bright in the eye and her coat is amazing,” Miller said.
“Patty (Carbery) rides her every day and said that it was the best she’s bounced out of a run and that’s pleasing to hear as, obviously, we now take on the big guns.”
Amelia’s Jewel is the $3 favourite in TABTouch’s all-in market with Godolphin’s Cascadian on the second line of betting at $3.50, and recent Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) winner Trix Of The Trade at $7.
Three three-year-old fillies have won the Northerly Stakes, previously known as the Kingston Town Classic, of the last seven editions with Arcadia Queen among them.
From winning the Group 2 WA Guineas (1600m) last start and rising to the Northerly, Miller can see the bar lifting but takes comfort in the weight relief she will get under the weight-for-age conditions.
“It takes a special horse to win it, no doubt, but they do get in well in the weights,” Miller said of the three-year-olds.
“Probably where I’m lucky is that some jockeys have to really sweat to get down to that but he’s (Carbery) actually near on his weight now so he doesn’t have to sweat for it.
“I’ll have a jock that knows the horse well but hasn’t had to punish himself to get down (to it).”
As far as how much further than 1800 metres Amelia’s Jewel could go, Miller is still to come to that conclusion.
“She’s bred to get a mile. I still don’t know what her pet trip is, even now,” he said.
“If I trained her for a Winterbottom she could probably win it. We got her ready for the WA Guineas, which we ticked off, and now we have to try and go again for the Northerly.”
“I honestly don’t know what her pet distance is because every bit of work you do at home and on race day she is spearing through the line.
“She hasn’t hit a wall yet.”
Should Amelia’s Jewel acquit herself well on Saturday, her owner – Peter Walsh – has already set a target for 2023 with the $10 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill the target.
Best yet for Miller, the filly will remain in his care wherever she could find herself racing.
“It is a bit of a surprise because when you get a good one, I knew that if she made the grade she might go somewhere else,” Miller said.
“But he (Walsh) spoke to a few people and they said ‘you’re mad’ and to leave it with me.
“It is good for everyone and he said to aim for the Golden Eagle and let’s work back from there.”
Miller indicated that Amelia’s Jewel’s autumn aims could be WA’s new $4 million slot race The Quokka (1200m) or the $5 million All-Star Mile (1600m) with the 2023 edition to be run at Moonee Valley.
