A trip from country South Australia to Moonee Valley could help trainer Sue Jaensch decide if promising mare Have Another Glass is up to spring class.
Jaensch is making a five-hour drive with the view of a possible spring campaign for Have Another Glass.
Have Another Glass contests the William Hill Handicap (1500m) after placings at her past two starts in black-type races during the Adelaide carnival, the most recent over 2000m.
Jaensch said she selected Saturday’s 1500m contest believing it to be a more suitable distance for the mare’s Melbourne debut.
“She’s run really good races over distances between 1400 and 1600 metres and this being her first time in Melbourne we thought we’d do the right thing and run her over a distance she was comfortable at,” Jaensch said.
“Whether or not she will take that next step to a spring race I don’t know but we thought we’d take this opportunity and feel our way while she’s up and going well.
“If she shows us that she might be capable in the spring we could tackle one or two, but I’m not looking at making that decision yet.”
Apprentice Emily Finnegan has been associated with Have Another Glass in five of the mare’s six wins and will make one of her rare appearances in Melbourne.
She sits third on the Adelaide jockeys’ premiership and her 1.5kg claim brings Have Another Glass in with 58kg.
“Emily was lucky enough to get on her early and she went really well for her,” Jaensch said.
“When she went back home to Ireland for a couple of weeks we had to get a different rider but since she’s been back on she hasn’t put a foot wrong on the girl.”
Stablemate Victory Downs runs in the Cafetto Coffee Clean Handicap (1600m) and Jaensch is expecting another honest run from the five-year-old who was a last start fifth in the Group Three Robert A Lee Stakes at Morphettville on May 20.
“He’s hasn’t done too much wrong and always gives us a lot of hope,” Jaensch said.
“I think he was probably a tad underdone going into his last run, but maybe he’s not quite up to that level.”
