Warrnambool Trainer Tom Dabernig is treating a trip to Morphetteville with Romantic Choice as a dress rehearsal for something over the Adelaide Carnival towards the backend of autumn.
Romantic Choice gained ‘Black Type’ with her last start win in the Listed Black Pearl Stakes (1200m) at Geelong on January 4 and heads across the border on Saturday to Adelaide for the Listed Durbridge Stakes (1100m).
Dabernig is thinking long-term with the inform mare with the Group 1 Sangster Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville on April 26 and the Group 3 Proud Miss Stakes over the same course and distance two weeks later potentially being on the agenda.
Romantic Choice has been in excellent form this campaign, registering back-to-back Caulfield Heath wins before running a close up fifth behind stablemate Ashford Street in the Listed Christmas Stakes (1100m) on December 26.
She backed that up less than two weeks later to claim the Black Pearl at Geelong.
“She got the ‘Black Type’ which was big thing for the horse and owner John Cordina and then this is another good ‘Black Type’ option where she’s drawn well,” Dabernig said.
“The 1100 metres is ideal. She won the Listed race at 1200 metres, but it’s now three weeks between runs and her 1000 and 1100-metre form is pretty good too, so I think that all looks good.
“Hopefully she can hold the form that she’s been in, and if she does, then it looks a suitable option, and she looks a top three chance.”
Dabernig said he had not seen any outward signs that Romantic Choice had come to the end of her preparation which commenced at Moonee Valley in November and netted the mare three win.
And he does not see the trip to Adelaide being a concern.
“The Caulfield run in the Christmas Stakes and then onto Geelong was a quickish sort of back-up and both were hot days which didnt seem to bother her,” Dabernig said.
“She’s just one of those amazing in form mares where she seems to be going well, so hopefully the trip to Adelaide all goes well. “I thought if she goes to Adelaide and runs well then it could be a little dress rehearsal for something a bit later in the carnival, something like the Sangster or the Proud Miss.”
