Hugh Bowman will reunite with Pasadena Girl in the Thousand Guineas when the premier Sydney jockey chases a second-straight win in the Group One race at Caulfield.
Bowman’s only race ride on the Peter Moody-trained Pasadena Girl resulted in victory in the Group One Champagne Stakes in Sydney during the autumn.
Pasadena Girl
Pasadena Girl has barrier seven in a field of 11 for Saturday’s Group One 1600m-feature for fillies, a race Bowman won last year on Amicus.
Thousand Guineas Prelude winner Miss Gunpowder has the outside draw while Edward Manifold Stakes winner Badawiya fared little better in 10.
Stay With Me, who will attempt to emulate her dam, 2006 Thousand Guineas winner Miss Finland, has barrier four and holds slight favouritism at $4.20 with Pasadena Girl at $4.40.
Moody has Pasadena Girl on an Oaks path and says she has improved from her first two starts this preparation when second in the Atlantic Jewel Stakes and fifth in the Prelude.
“Her coat has finally started to shift which tells me she’s coming right at the right time of the year,” Moody said.
“She’ll present tidier on Saturday than she has in her last couple of starts and I think she’s on track to run extremely well.
“I’m mindful that she’s got the Oaks beyond this and there’s still good improvement in her, but I took heart from viewing probably most of her opposition at her last couple of runs and felt that she was the one that’s probably got significant improvement in her, where some of the others might have had limited improvement.”
Mick Price said Badawiya would likely have to come across with Miss Gunpowder who raced on speed when she won the Prelude.
Trainer Andrew Noblet was happy with barrier two for Super Cash to be ridden by Kerrin McEvoy who has been aboard in the filly’s past two starts.
Super Cash finished fourth in the Prelude.
“We should get a nice run from there,” Noblet said.
“It just makes it a little bit easier for Kerrin. You’re not worried about getting in. You can be where you want to be rather than being dictated to.”
Mark Zahra has picked up the ride on Jameka, who has barrier nine, replacing the suspended Damien Oliver.
