Queen’s Gamble will be one of the new kids on the block when she tackles some of Sydney’s best performed fillies in the Tea Rose Stakes at Randwick, but trainer Matthew Smith has a handy reference point for believing she will hold her own.
Smith prepared Hurtle Myrtle, who contested all four legs of the 2009 Princess Series, placing in three of them, including a third behind More Joyous in the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m).
The following autumn, she almost pulled off a major upset when just going down to the star galloper in the Surround Stakes (1400m), which was held that year at Warwick Farm.
“She was good as a three-year-old. One day at Warwick Farm, Hurtle Myrtle ran against More Joyous. More Joyous was about $1.20 and Hurtle Myrtle headed her with about fifty (metres) to go before More Joyous kicked back and won the race and I thought, oh my God,” Smith recalled.
“This filly is similar. A scopey type of filly who is unassuming.
“I think there are similarities. Queen’s Gamble has had a few runs, but she seems to be handling her racing well.”
Resuming with a brace of seconds in midweek company at Canterbury, Queen’s Gamble broke her maiden with an emphatic performance at Warwick Farm on August 19 and was even more impressive when scoring by more than three lengths at the same track last start.
Smith has been taken by her levels of improvement each time she’s stepped out, and admits her rise has surprised the stable.
“She’s only a lightly-framed filly, so we were never really looking for anything big at home,” Smith said.
“For that reason, she has probably got under our guard a little bit because we hadn’t been asking her for much.
“Her first two runs were good and the way she pulled up after each run she didn’t really need a lot of work, so I just kept ticking her over and she has gone from strength to strength.”
Tommy Berry has ridden Queen’s Gamble in three of her five starts and has the mount in the Tea Rose Stakes (1400m).
Smith is looking for a competitive showing, but suspects the filly’s best winning chance will be when she steps up to a mile in the Flight Stakes next month.
“She will definitely be suited in the Flight,” he said.
“If we get a strong-run gallop, the 14 (1400m) will suit her, but the Flight will be better.”
Queen’s Gamble was an $8 chance on Thursday with Rosebud winner Chilly Girl an easing $3.30 favourite.
