The weight-for-age conditions of the Queen Of The Turf Stakes don’t favour Arctic Glamour in her rematch with Lazzura, but trainer Gerald Ryan has reason to believe that may not matter.
Arctic Glamour had a 2.5kg pull in the handicaps when beaten a short neck by Lazzura in the Coolmore Classic (1500m), and at Randwick on Saturday the pair meet at equal weights.
However, Ryan says weight differentials aren’t always reliable, recalling his Group 1 winner Recurring getting beaten in the 2004 Birthday Card Stakes with 54.5kg, then lumping 58kg against a similar field a start later and getting the verdict.
“I remember a few years ago Recurring got beaten in a mares race with around 54 kilos then went to the Sapphire Stakes, and because it was set weights with penalties she ended up with 58 and she beat the mares that beat her the start before, despite carrying more weight.”
Perhaps the biggest question Arctic Glamour needs to answer is whether she is a genuine miler.
She is yet to place in six attempts over the journey, but she did finish an unlucky fifth in the 2023 Thousand Guineas (1600m) and filled the same position behind Ceolwulf in the Epsom Handicap (1600m) a year later.
With the free-bowling Pride Of Jenni engaged on Saturday, the Queen Of The Turf Stakes is set to be a testing renewal, and in that vein, Ryan is keen for his charge to be ridden conservatively.
“It’s going to be a strong mile on Saturday with the speed that’s in the race,” he said.
“We will ride her quiet from where she’s drawn. Her best runs are when we ride her quiet.”
Arctic Glamour hasn’t raced since the Coolmore Classic on March 14 after being scratched from the Emancipation Stakes (1500m) due to a rain-affected track.
However, she has since trialled nicely, and Ryan says her work this week has been outstanding.
“She trialled very well on Thursday, and her work (on Tuesday) morning was very good. As good as I’ve seen her do,” he said.
Ryan and training partner Sterling Alexiou also have Skyhook in the Arrowfield 3YO Sprint (1200m) and like Arctic Glamour, plan to have him ridden off the pace.
Connections were initially disappointed with his first-up fourth in the Darby Munro Stakes (1200m) but Ryan has revised that opinion.
“On face value, we were. But when you analyse the race, he was giving them all weight and maybe on the hot speed we rode him too close,” he said.
“We’re going to ride him negative on Saturday and see if we can hit the line.”