Annabel and Rob Archibald have made a key gear change to talented filly Tupakara as she bids to finally shed her maiden status in the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes at Randwick.
The three-year-old has placed in four of her seven starts, each time at black-type level, including a Group 1 third behind Nepotism in the Champagne Stakes (1600m) as a juvenile.
After returning with another slashing performance when beating all but Apocalyptic first-up in the Furious Stakes (1200m), Tupakara will sport blinkers on Saturday as she looks to turn the tables.
In a further boost, champion jockey James McDonald has opted to remain in the saddle after partnering her last start.
“She is a lovely, honest horse,” Annabel Archibald said.
“When you’ve got ‘J Mac’ on it helps and we’ve added the blinkers as well.
“She was a bit on and off the bridle the other day and we were ‘umming’ and ‘ahhing’ whether to go winkers or blinkers or save them for the mile (of the Flight Stakes).
“But James came and galloped her on Tuesday and we put them on and she worked really well in them so we’ve put them on (race day).”
Tupakara will be one of three fillies contesting the race for the stable along with Kujenga and Next Jen.
They finished fourth and seventh respectively in the Furious Stakes and while markets have Tupakara a clear top pick of the trio, Archibald believes there is little separating them.
“Tupakara, she was the one that drew poorly and beat all bar one last start so she is probably the obvious horse but I do find it hard to split them,” Archibald said.
“Next Jen’s run was good. She got held up a couple of times and she has got an inside draw. She will just need to break cleanly and put herself there but she did jump well the other day.
“Kujenga was terrific off one trial so she was always going to take big improvement from it as well.”
Archibald says all three will be suited by a distance rise to 1400m as they take the next step on a path towards the final leg of the four-race Princess Series, the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick a fortnight from Saturday.
