Nursing fractured ribs and recovering from a punctured lung, trainer Clinton Mcdonald is buoyant about the prospects of a couple of two-year-old fillies in his stable.
Simply Steffi and Tears Of Happiness both make their debuts at Caulfield on Saturday in the Listed Merson Cooper Stakes (1000m).
While McDonald is expecting the pair to run well on Saturday, he is also looking to the future with pair, especially Tears Of Happiness.
Simply Steffi, to be ridden by Ben Melham, has had three jump-outs in preparation for her debut and most recently finished second in a jump-out at Cranbourne on October 27.
McDonald took advantage of galloping both fillies at Caulfield on Tuesday morning.
“Simply Steffi is a beautiful filly by Graff, a first-season sire,” McDonald said.
“She was bought by Shane McGrath from the Adelaide sale for $15,000.
“She’s a nice filly and was well found and bought by Shane. She’s shown us good ability at home and whatever she does on Saturday she’ll improve upon.”
Tears Of Happiness was a $60,000 purchase by Yu Long Investments at the Melbourne Premier Sale and is a daughter of Pierro.
In form jockey Beau Mertens takes the ride on Tears Of Happiness, having ridden the filly in her work at Caulfield on Tuesday.
Tears Of Happiness has only had the two jump-outs and McDonald expects the filly to gain a lot from Saturday’s experience and when she is stepped up in ground.
“Tears of Happiness is my second (two-year-old) runner for Yu Long after we had Tales of Time run second in the Maribyrnong Plate,” McDonald said
“She’s a nice filly and if we can get that one start into her now, she’s going to come back a nice Sires’ Produce, maybe Champagne (Stakes) type of horse.
“She’ll likely to settle back behind them in midfield but be really strong late.
“I really like her, I think she’s a lovely filly, but there’s not much between them and I’m looking forward to stepping them out.”
