Step up in trip looms for in-form Anatola

Trainer Mark Newnham will give impressive mare Anatola one more fitness-building run in Brisbane to sharpen a campaign targeting the Group One Tatt’s Tiara.

The classy mare has never been stretched beyond 1200m for trainer Mark Newnham, but that prospect awaits providing she maintains her form in the Listed Bright Shadow Quality at Doomben on Saturday.

Newnham is giving the five-year-old one more run over her specialist trip over 1200m to consolidate her fitness for the Group Two Dane Ripper Stakes (1350m) at Doomben on June 9, a lead-in to the Group One Tatt’s Tiara (1350m) a fortnight later.

Encouragingly, Anatola has raced over 1300m once and finished third at Sandown when under the care of Mick Price in January last year.

Anatola pushed her earnings put $300,000 with an impressive win in the Listed Silk Stocking (1200m) at the Gold Coast on May 5, the second victory of this preparation following success at Randwick.

“We’re running her to decide if she steps up in trip for the Dane Ripper,” Newnham said.

“Going past 1200 is a new area for her with me but she’s been strong through the line in her last two and done plenty of work in both races.

“She’ll have to carry more weight this week, but she’s earned it.

“She went fantastic in the Silk Stocking and if she reproduces that you’d expect she’d be able to win,” he said.

Newnham confirmed six-year-old gelding Burning Passion would press on to the Group One $1.5m Stradbroke Handicap (1350m) at Doomben on June 9 after a dogged run against Australia’s crack sprinters in the Group One Doomben 10,000 (1200m).

Burning Passion ran seventh in last Saturday’s feature in Brisbane, where finishing 2-1/4 lengths off winner English earned a pass mark from Newnham.

“I thought he went great in a Group One weight-for-age where the sprinters are as good as you’re going to get,” he said.

“Up in distance and down in weight should suit him. He deserves another chance in a Group One.”