The Warra hasn’t always been Plan A for Catch The Glory but, weather permitting, the Group Three sprint is starting to shape as a nice option for the progressive mare.
Trainer Jason Coyle originally had Saturday week’s Starlight Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill earmarked for her return but decided to throw in an entry for The Warra (1000m) this weekend as well.
“She did all her racing at Rosehill last preparation over the 1100, so the Starlight Stakes over 1100, a Listed race, looked ideal,” Coyle said.
“But when we nominated for Saturday, the nominations didn’t come up as strong or as many as I thought, so we accepted.
“We will wait until Saturday morning to decide whether to play our cards or not.”
Coyle is also keeping a close eye on the weather.
He would prefer a firmer surface for Catch The Glory and with a forecast for possible storms and showers in the coming days, track conditions at Kembla Grange will be a major factor in whether she runs.
If she does, she will be shooting for her first stakes success, her most significant win to date coming in Saturday metropolitan grade at Rosehill in August.
However, she has twice contested black type company, including when a close fourth to Enriched in the Listed Fireball Quality (1100m), while she was competitive in the July Sprint (1100m) when she didn’t have much luck.
Coyle believes she is ready to have the bar raised again.
“She has always shown that capability to work through the grades and possibly get to the higher level,” Coyle said.
“Last preparation proved she could do that. She was first-up in an open handicap and should have finished much closer, so the leap from what she was racing to the race on Saturday – or Saturday week – is a natural progression for her.”
Coyle would also prefer a firm track for President, who he expected to bounce back in ABAX Civil Handicap (1200m) after enduring a tough run when unplaced at Randwick last time out.
“Base his form off his solid win at Hawkesbury and put a line through his last run,” he said.
“He didn’t jump cleanly, and it forced him to go forward on a wide path and he fell in a hole late on a track that he didn’t enjoy either.”
