Propelle out to boost rating at Flemington

Lightly-raced Propelle will be out to boost her rating with a view to the spring in the final planned start of her juvenile season at Flemington.

The Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra-trained filly finished fourth as favourite on debut at Sandown last month before convincingly winning a maiden at Sale last week.

Propelle faces another test in Saturday’s Eugene Gorman Handicap (1100m) for two-year-olds and Zahra is hoping she can set herself up for a spring preparation aimed at the Flemington carnival in November.

“She can have a nice spell after Saturday and if she can get her rating up a bit, she can maybe come back for the Flemington carnival or something,” Zahra said.

“The sooner we can get her in the paddock and give her a little bit of a break, the better.

“When you look at her, she’s always going to be a better filly in a bit of time so we’re excited about where she’s headed.

“It’s hard to go into the spring with a rating of 63. So if you can get the win or second or third (on Saturday), you can get a bit more of a rating.”

Zahra said Propelle got a bit lost on debut when jumping from barrier eight but was better when she had the rail to follow at Sale.

She has barrier eight of 11 on Saturday and Zahra says “she seems a bit more tractable, a lot fitter and it looks a nice race for her”.

Propelle is one of three runners for the stable on the day along with See My Fly in the TAB/ATA Celebrates Women Trainers Handicap (1400m) and Double Jeopardy in the Ron Taylor Handicap (1000m).

Three-year-old Double Jeopardy will be having his first start since November and first since being gelded.

“I think he’s come back a bit more furnished and has been a lot more professional this time in, so hopefully he can put that forward into a race,” Zahra said.