Jason Warren’s top mare Benedetta will not feature in the upcoming Spring Carnival. The Group 1 Goodwood winner has been sent to the paddock after a setback that disrupted her preparation for key races.
Benedetta suffered a knock to her hind leg, which led to her withdrawal from the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Stakes last month. Despite this, Warren had hoped she could make her return either in the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes this weekend or the Group 2 McEwen Stakes on Cox Plate Day. However, those plans have now been shelved.
“We missed our target races because of the setback, and it wasn’t worth pushing her to get ready quickly and risk further injury,” Warren explained.
“The timing wasn’t right for her, and we’ve decided to take the conservative approach. She’s a valuable mare, and it’s better to end the campaign now. It just hasn’t worked out this time, and I don’t want to run her in races just for the sake of it.”
Looking ahead, Warren confirmed that Benedetta’s primary target for the autumn will be the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning over 1000m.
The talented mare has won eight of her 16 starts and has accumulated more than $1.7 million in prize money.
Meanwhile, Warren’s stable is preparing for other runners. The promising Exceedance filly Eden Rose is expected to make her debut in the Listed Debutant Stakes (1000m) on Wednesday. Additionally, Freak Of Nature will aim for a fourth consecutive win on the same Caulfield race card.
