A placing behind Caulfield Guineas favourite Press Statement during the Brisbane winter provided the catalyst for Sagaronne to head to Melbourne for a spring carnival campaign.
Her preparation hasn’t gone to plan so far but trainer Toby Edmonds is hoping that changes in the Thousand Guineas, one of four Group One races on Saturday’s opening day of the Caulfield Cup carnival.
“The Press Statement form, that’s why we’re here,” Edmonds said.
“She’s a Group One performer already so we thought we’d take this path into one of those staying races (and then) into the Oaks.”
Sagaronne’s two Melbourne runs have made it difficult for Edmonds to get a genuine guide on her progression.
She was held up for a run in the straight when she finished down the track behind Stay With Me at Moonee Valley on September 5 then a muddling-run race counted against her in the Thousand Guineas Prelude at Caulfield where she finished ninth behind Miss Gunpowder.
Jockey Blake Shinn took off early because of the slow pace and the filly got into a bumping duel around the home turn.
Edmonds said Sagaronne wasn’t fit enough to make such a long run at Caulfield after she couldn’t be tested in her first-up run.
But he has been happy with her progress since and was heartened by her track gallop with Group One placegetter Under The Louvre on Tuesday.
“First-up I would have liked to get a bit more out of the run fitness-wise but that wasn’t to be,” Edmonds said.
“Three weeks into the run the other day she was still a bit new but she’s had a good fortnight since.
“She’s had a couple of sharp gallops and a good gallop on the course proper on Tuesday morning over 1200m with Under The Louvre and they ran up 23.7 (seconds) for their last 400 metres.”
Sagaronne is currently a $15 chance in an open Thousand Guineas with Pasadena Girl and Stay With Me sharing favouritism at $4.40.
