Champion mare Black Caviar has frightened off trainer Gillian Heinrich who has aborted plans to run last year’s Magic Millions Classic winner Military Rose in next month’s Group One TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick.
Heinrich has now decided on a shorter Sydney campaign with the three-year-old filly who shone in an easy 1010-metre barrier trial win at the Gold Coast on Tuesday.
The daughter of General Nediym was ridden by Glen Colless when she easily won an open trial by two lengths on a heavy track.
“I also had her entered for a barrier trial at Eagle Farm today but I decide to run her here even though it was a heavy track,” Heinrich said.
Heinrich didn’t originally intend to send Military Rose to Sydney for the autumn and preferred to concentrate on the Brisbane winter carnival.
“She came to hand so quickly I had little alternative but to go south with her,” she said.
“I just wanted to get her ready for the winter but she’s had a trouble-free preparation.
“I wanted to run her in the TJ Smith but there’s no point now with Black Caviar heading that way.
“She’ll be flown to Sydney tomorrow night and I’ll run her in the Darby Munro and then the Gosford Guineas before she comes home for the Gold Coast Guineas.”
The Listed Darby Munro Stakes (1200m) will be run at Rosehill on Saturday week with the Listed Gosford Guineas (1200m) on April 17.
The Group Three Gold Coast Guineas (1200m) will be run on May 7.
“I’m not looking past those three races at this stage,” Heinrich said.
“It’ll depend how she’s going at the time but the Stradbroke would be a nice race for her. She’d get in with 49 kilos and fillies have a good record in it.”
Heinrich is amazed with the development Military Rose has undergone since she returned to work following a winless three-start spring campaign in Melbourne.
Her best performance in Melbourne was finishing third to Lone Rock in the Group Three Champagne Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley last September.
At her last appearance Military Rose failed to handle the Caulfield track when 10th to Solar Charged in the Group Three Thoroughbred Club Stakes (1200m) in October.
Meanwhile, talented three-year-old Buffering made his first public appearance ahead of the Brisbane winter carnival with a comfortable 800-metre barrier trial victory at Eagle Farm.
Trainer Rob Heathcote has pencilled in an ambitious winter program for the son of Mossman who won the Group Two Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) at Randwick last October.
“He certainly was impressive in his trial win,” Heathcote said.
“Larry Cassidy said he gave him a good feeling and he won under a strong hold by just over a length.”
Heathcote is considering a number of paths to take with Buffering for the winter but, like Heinrich, wants to avoid a clash with Black Caviar if the mare heads north.
AAP TURF
