Trainer Grahame Begg has the Group 1 Australasian Oaks in his sights for Cilacap and is potentially stepping away from the traditional path to that contest.
The Australasian Oaks (2000m) is run at Morphettville on April 26 and the more traditional route to that contest is via three-year-old fillies’ races like the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on March 29 or the Group 3 Auraria Stakes (1800m) at Morphettville on April 12.
But Begg is thinking outside the square with Cilacap with the potential to run the filly in a Group 3 contest at Caulfield against older horses.
Cilacap has won three of her five starts to date, missing a place only once, that being in the Group 2 Kewney Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on March 8.
Begg has Cilacap entered for the Group 3 Alexandra Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday as a lead-up to a potential start in the Group 3 Easter Cup (2000m) at Caulfield on April 5.
The Easter Cup is not a traditional race that three-year-olds run in, especially fillies, at this time of year with the Sydney Carnival in full swing, but Begg said the race may fit as a suitable contest.
Begg said he would prefer to make only one trip to Adelaide with Cilacap for the Australasian Oaks.
“I’ve nominated her for Saturday and I’m thinking about her then going to the Easter Cup, as they might get a small field,” Begg said.
“If you go to the Auraria Stakes it’s a trip to Adelaide and back and then you have do it all again, so it doesn’t make sense.
“You get an extra week recovery as well with the greater gap between runs and she gets that run at 2000 metres also.
“I just thought it might not be such a bad thing, thinking outside the square.
“I don’t think too many three-year-olds, let alone fillies, have run in the Easter Cup, so I’m just toying with the idea, but the Australasian Oaks is the focus.
“We’ll see how she goes on Saturday and be guided by that.”
