Hugh Bowman can set a modern-day record for Group One winners in a season when he rides French Emotion in the Tattersall’s Tiara.
And the mare’s trainer Chris Waller is confident French Emotion can bounce back from her unplaced performance last start in the Dane Ripper Stakes.
French Emotion finished 12th of 14 in the Dane Ripper, less than four lengths from the winner Prompt Response who will be among her rivals again.
“She had no luck last time,” Waller said.
“I think she can improve.”
The Tattersall’s Tiara at Doomben on Saturday for fillies and mares is the final Group One race of the Australian season with Bowman and Waller heading the list of elite winners for 2016/17 including six wins by champion Winx.
Bowman equalled Shane Dye’s record of 13 Australian Group One winners when he won the Queensland Derby on Ruthven last Saturday week.
French Emotion finished second to I Am A Star in the Group One Myer Classic at Flemington in October and finished second to the filly again in the Group Two Sunline Stakes at Moonee Valley in the autumn.
Fellow Sydney trainer Bjorn Baker hopes to have two runners in the Tiara – Egyptian Symbol and Bonny O’Reilly.
Both have been in Brisbane for the winter carnival with Egyptian Symbol three lengths seventh in the Stradbroke Handicap at her most recent start after running second to another Tiara hopeful, Eckstein, in the Group Three Glenlogan Park Stakes.
Bonny O’Reilly won two races in Sydney before her success in the Listed Helen Coughlan Stakes at Doomben and third in the Dane Ripper.
“Egyptian Symbol ran a good race in the Stradbroke and Bonny O’Reilly is consistent,” Baker said.
“If they can draw well they are in with a chance.”
Josh Parr will be back aboard Stradbroke runner-up, Newcastle mare In Her Time.
He rode her to win the Group Two Millie Fox Stakes in April but had to watch Dean Yendall steer her in the Stradbroke when she carried 53.5kg, under Parr’s comfort zone.
