After a few near misses in recent seasons, Let’s Make Adeal is back on a mission to secure a start in one of the major spring Cups.
It is a dream of Let’s Make Adeal’s owner-breeder Dennis Marks for a descendant of 1991 Caulfield and Melbourne Cups winner Let’s Elope to run in one or both races.
Let’s Make Adeal
Let’s Make Adeal, a grand-daughter of Let’s Elope, will try to get into the Caulfield Cup when she runs in Saturday’s Naturalism Stakes (2000m) with the winner guaranteed a start.
Let’s Make Adeal finished a close second two years ago in the Lexus Stakes when a win would have secured a Melbourne Cup berth.
Earlier that spring she was an unlucky fourth in the Herbert Power Stakes and third last year with the winner of that race gaining an automatic start in the Caulfield Cup.
Of the 30 horses nominated for the Naturalism Stakes, 22 are entered in the Caulfield Cup.
“If she’s lucky enough to win that, great,” Blackiston said.
“If not there’s other avenues we can take to try to get there.”
He believes Let’s Make Adeal has been unlucky in the past not to earn her way into either Cup.
“She was beaten a nose in the Lexus a couple of years ago. And she finished fourth in the Herbert Power (in 2013) and nearly fell going out of the straight the first time.
“She’s been very unlucky.”
He admits at the time of those near-misses it had been frustrating to fall short.
“Obviously at the time it’s frustrating but you’ve just got to keep going and hopefully she’ll get there,” Blackiston said.
“If she’s good enough, she’ll get there.”
The trainer believes the six-year-old is going better than ever despite a first-up 12th in The Heatherlie at Caulfield, a track he says may not suit her.
“She had an awkward barrier (16) and had to get back,” he said of the first-up run.
“The race tempo and pattern didn’t suit but I was pleased with the way she finished the race off. Hopefully she can get a better barrier for Saturday, and with luck in running hopefully we can get a better result.”
