VRC Oaks winner Strictly Business has taken her first step towards a potential Caulfield and Melbourne Cups campaign with a 1400m hitout at Burrumbeet on Thursday morning.
The daughter of Grunt, who went within inches of adding another Group 1 victory to her record in May’s South Australian Derby before heading for a spell, returned in encouraging fashion when working strongly through the line for third on a heavy track under regular rider John Allen.
Trainer Thomas Carberry told Racing.com he was pleased with his stable star’s work and said, at this stage, she remains on track for the Group 1 Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup this spring.
“Both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups could really suit her with the light weight, and she’s effectively qualified for both as a G1 winner over 2500m,” he said.
“She might sharpen up over those 2000m trips this time in, but we know she’s just going to better as she gets over more and more ground.
“She did a good bit of work this morning, she hit the line really well. It was great to get on the grass here at Burrumbeet on a nice fresh morning, even thought it was heavy.
“We’re really looking forward to seeing what she can do for us this season, and today was the first step towards that.”
Strictly Business’ younger half-sister Refuse To Curtsy also stepped out on Thursday, with the Royal Meeting filly closing off strongly despite the testing conditions.
Refuse To Curtsy raced twice as a juvenile, making significant late ground on debut in the Group 2 Blue Diamond Prelude for fillies before almost falling early in the Group 2 Sires’ Produce Stakes at Flemington.
She consequently enters her three-year-old season relatively unexposed, with Carberry keen to see what she can produce after two encouraging jumpouts.
“She didn’t appreciate the wet going today, but when she straightened up she hit the line well,” he told Racing.com.
“We’re really looking forward to getting her to the racetrack in the next couple of weeks. She looks like the kind of horse that will get over some ground, so fingers crossed.
“It’s getting right towards spring now so hopefully she’ll progress further as the ground gets better.”
