A late autumn campaign last year in Adelaide saw Benedetta claim her first win at the highest level in The Goodwood and this time trainer Jason Warren is eyeing Brisbane Winter Carnival features after a crack at the All Aged Stakes in Sydney.
“It is daunting to see some of the names of horses that are shorter in the market for the All Aged,” Warren said of the 1400-metre Group 1 feature at Randwick on April 19.
“The big track at Randwick and the 1400-metres, the way she hit the line the other day, I don’t think the distance will be a problem and she settles well.”The track conditions at Moonee Valley in her last start second placing to Schwarz in the Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) eight days ago were not in Benedetta’s favour and Warren says that she had come out of the run very well.
Benedetta will head to Sydney next weekend with a trial outing likely before the All Aged Stakes.
The Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m) followed by the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm are on Warren’s agenda for the five-year-old mare whose record stands at eight wins and six placings in 19 starts.
“Her Equinome testing suggests she is a 1400 to a mile type and we haven’t really tried her at that,” he added.
The Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) may also be a possibility.
“They are our real target races and we could even run in the Tatt’s Tiara ,” Warren said.
Benedetta is rated a $26 chance for the All Aged Stakes with the market headed by Briasa, Autumn Glow and Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) winner Jimmysstar all at $6.
“We are being ambitious going to the All Aged but it’s 12 hours closer on a truck than Queensland,” Warren noted.
He had entertained thoughts of making Benedetta available for The Quokka (1200m), Perth’s rich slot race on April 26 but with the plane trip and that run, it would have cancelled out a further campaign in Brisbane.
Officials from Royal Ascot had attempted to woo the mare’s connections earlier this week to make the trip to England in June but Warren conceded that the carrot of five group one races closer to home has won out.
“You have those races in your own backyard, and the money is better,” Warren said.
“It is also hard to go over there and rule out anything in springtime.”
