Trainer Grahame Begg believes Splash Back is perfectly placed to end her campaign on a high in Saturday’s Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm, although he admits track conditions and race dynamics could still play a decisive role.
The talented mare heads into the final Group 1 of the Australian season after two respectable performances at the elite level in Queensland, where Begg feels her finishing positions have not reflected her true form.
According to the veteran trainer, Splash Back has been disadvantaged by racing on inferior sections of the Eagle Farm surface in both the Kingsford Smith Cup and Stradbroke Handicap.
“She hasn’t had the luxury her last two starts where she’s ended up on the track,” Begg told Racing,com.
“She’s been closer to the inside and that wasn’t the A-grade ground.
“It’s been on-speed. It’s been very hard to peg back the leaders, and the inside has been much inferior to out on the crown.
“But she’s come through the Stradbroke really well and we’re absolutely looking forward to next week.”
Splash Back announced herself as a major winter carnival player when taking out the Group 2 Victory Stakes (1200m) second-up at Doomben.
She then finished ninth in the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup, beaten only 2.5 lengths, before again performing creditably when sixth in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap, just over three lengths from the winner.
