With movement across state borders restricted by coronavirus, trainer Grahame Begg has had to rethink Beauty Bolt’s program.
The first-up Sandown winner is being aimed at the Group One Australasian Oaks at Morphettville in May and Begg had planned two starts in Adelaide leading into the race.
One was on Saturday, the Listed Laelia Stakes (1600m) at Morphettville, before the Auraria Stakes (1800m) at the same track on April 18.
But as a hands-on trainer, Begg did not want to leave the filly with an Adelaide stable for six weeks.
“The problem is we can’t take them over ourselves and if they go over they have to stay there,” Begg said.
“At the moment I think I’ll keep her here and try and get her ready for one race, and one race only.”
So instead of running on Saturday in Adelaide, Beauty Bolt will start in a 1400m-race for three-year-old fillies at Caulfield.
Begg said there was a suitable program for Beauty Bolt to follow towards Adelaide should racing continue amid the COVID-19 crisis.
“I can then send her over the week of the race if we’re still going,” Begg said.
“I guess everyone is in the same boat, but I’m better off looking after the horse here.”
Beauty Bolt kept her unbeaten first-up record intact with victory at Sandown on March 18.
Last campaign Beauty Bolt graduated to stakes company, eventually finishing fourth in the VRC Oaks (2500m) at Flemington in November to end her preparation.
The trainer has sent Miss Siska to Sydney where she will run in the Group One Coolmore Legacy Stakes (1600m) for fillies and mares at Randwick on Saturday week.
Miss Siska has been in Sydney for just over a week and won a trial at Randwick on Tuesday.
Begg’s racing manager Rohan Hughes is with the mare having stayed in Sydney to take care of Mildred who was unplaced in the Golden Slipper.
“We’ve freshened Miss Siska up and brought her back from 2000 metres of the Australian Cup,” Begg said.
“She was only beaten a neck in this race last year and ran fourth and she will be more than competitive in it I would think.”
