Emma-Lee Browne is confident Statuario is perfectly primed for the Group One South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville on Saturday.
Browne, who trains in partnership with her husband David, says Adelaide has been a long-term plan for the last-start Galilee Series Final winner.
“I’m very, very happy with him,” Browne said.
“He’s come through it good. Trialled up super at Pakenham on Tuesday. So, all set for next week.”
Rather than run in the Group 3 Chairman’s Handicap (2000m) the week before, Browne believes a 2400m victory with a trial between runs is the right scenario for Statuario, who finished second in a 1200m heat at Pakenham on the 22nd of April.
“Just to keep him up to the mark. It was sort of nothing. We didn’t want to back him up this weekend into next weekend. So, nothing really fitted in properly.”
“I think if it’s run right and we get a nice draw, we should be okay with it.”
Browne’s prayers were answered on Tuesday morning with Statuario drawing barrier three with John Allen booked to ride, a jockey that knows a thing or two about winning the SA Derby, having won four of the past nine.
“He rode him last start, so hopefully all goes to plan. His run over the 2400 (metres) the other day was really, really good. So if we can do that again, he obviously got a few favours the other day, but if we could have a repeat, that’d be nice.”
Emma-Lee and David Browne have never won a Group One race, coming awfully close with Scary, who finished second to Goldrush Guru, in the Victoria Derby during the Spring, while Basilinna ran third to Zardozi in the 2023 VRC Oaks.
With Statuario a $3.60 favourite for the South Australian Derby, this will be the training duo’s best chance in an Australian Group One, and Browne was hopeful he could deliver.
“This has been the target so hopefully he runs to his best and he should be in the finish.”
Off a slashing second in the Chairman’s Handicap on Saturday, the James Cummings trained Lavalier is a $5.50 second elect despite drawing barrier 15, while last Friday’s VRC St Leger winner American Wolf is on the third line of betting at $7 with Mark Zahra to ride, fresh off a Group One double last week.
