Mick Price was concerned Badawiya may have been vulnerable for her racetrack return at Flemington.
But punters weren’t deterred as she was one of the best-backed runners in the Kewney Stakes on Saturday.
Badawiya
Under the guidance of Craig Newitt, Badawiya ($4.80) scored a 2-1/4 length victory from Don’t Doubt Mamma ($5) with Egypt ($10) three quarters of a length away third.
Price said Badawiya was ready for a first-up tilt at the Typhoon Tracy Stakes at Moonee Valley last month.
“She had a bit of mucus on the day so she had to scratched,” Price said.
“We tried to catch up with her but I thought she might have been a little underdone.”
Badawiya was successful in the Group Two Edward Manifold Stakes over 1600m in the spring before running third in the Group One Thousand Guineas at Caulfield.
Now Price will go chasing Group One glory in Sydney.
He has the Queen Of The Turf Stakes at Randwick during The Championships picked out.
“I think she’s alive in The Doncaster but it’s probably a bit ambitious against the older horses,” he said.
Badawiya is lightly framed filly and Price said the four week break to the Queen Of The Turf Stakes was ideal for the filly.
