Tim Clark is banking on the advantage of race fitness proving the right recipe for Mariamia when she takes on Group 1 winners Forbidden Love and Golden Mile in the Expressway Stakes at Rosehill.
The latter pair dominate betting with Golden Mile at $2.15 and Forbidden Love $2.70 with Mariamia on the third line of Expressway Stakes betting at $5.50.
While both favourites are resuming, Mariamia heads to Saturday’s sprint with the benefit of a first-up win and Clark is hoping that is decisive as he bids to continue his good record in the race, which he has won twice in the past five years aboard Trapeze Artist (2018) and Overpass (2022).
“She did a good job to win first-up and that race fitness going into Saturday is going to be vital,” Clark said.
“Golden Mile, the 1200-metres is short of where his best trip is and he’s only first-up. I’m sure he’s got a big campaign ahead of him so he could be a little bit vulnerable fresh.
“The other mare (Forbidden Love) trialled up really well but she went off the boil last time in. She did race well in this race last year though, so she just might be better at this time of the year.
“They’re both Group One winners and they warrant plenty of respect.”
Mariamia is yet to win at stakes level but she has twice been placed in Group 3 company when third to Probabeel at Caulfield in February last year and again when filling the same position behind King Of Sparta in the Bletchingly Stakes in July.
Clark’s Rosehill book also includes Perfect Proposal for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott in the Group 3 Widden Stakes (1100m), the filly resuming after finishing runner-up to stablemate Platinum Jubilee in the Gimcrack Stakes (1000m) in October.
She has trialled twice in preparation for her return and Clark is confident she is primed for a bold return.
“I worked her on Tuesday and she pulled up really well in the wind so she is very forward,” he said.
“She doesn’t carry a heap of condition so she comes to hand pretty quickly. I expect she is going to look the winner for a long way up the straight.
“Getting back on a drier track will be in her favour as well. The Gimcrack (track) was rain-affected and I think we’ll see the best of her on top of the ground.”
Perfect Proposal is at $4.60 in early markets, behind only debutante Learning To Fly ($3.70).
The pair has met twice at the barrier trials with Perfect Proposal coming up trumps in their first clash and Learning To Fly getting the verdict in their most recent.
