The nature of Poppin’ Champagne’s last start win has convinced connections to persevere with the mare for another season in the hope she can add to her value over the next 12 months.
The four-year-old daughter of Written Tycoon was going to be put up for auction at the upcoming Chairman’s Sale but co-trainer Mick Price said a dominant performance at Warwick Farm last week had prompted a rethink.
“It’s coming good slowly but surely,” Price said of Poppin’ Champagne.
“It’s temperament has been extremely difficult. It’s stakes placed and it ran fourth in a stakes race up in Sydney, so we’re going to commit to another year for it.
“It’s a big, strong, beautiful mare and its temperament is starting to improve a fair bit.”
Placed in the Morphettville Guineas (1600m) in Adelaide as a three-year-old, Poppin’ Champagne finished on the heels of the placegetters in the Group 3 Angst Stakes (1600m) at Randwick last spring.
The Victorian-based Price believes she has continued to improve into her current campaign and is keen to see how she performs in the TAB Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday, saying every time he visits his Sydney base, she is the horse who catches his eye.
“I’m going to back it up. It’s thriving,” Price said.
“Every time I’m in Sydney, it looks the best.”
Chad Schofield has the ride on Poppin’ Champagne, who has drawn barrier nine.
While she has been a work in progress for most of her career, the trainer says “perseverance” has been the key in turning her temperament around.
“The horses you buy yourself as yearlings and then syndicate to your ownership group, a lot of times you’ve got your heart and soul into them, so I didn’t want to give up on her,” he said.
“I think, just with maturity physically and mentally, she is starting to put it all together.
“It was a strong win the other day and she should cope with the back-up.
“She’s a metropolitan winner, she is stakes placed and eventually, if we could get a black-type win, that would be fantastic.”
