The Ciaron Maher stable has a way of extracting the best from mares as they age.
Think Bella Nipotina and Pride Of Jenni who did not lose anything as they got older.
Tennessee Bound is not in the same league, but she has something on her record those two great mares do not.
In six starts, Tennessee Bound is yet to taste defeat, and she will be out to extend on that when she runs in the Dr Sheahan Plate (1300m) at Sandown on Saturday.
Immature knees delayed the start of Tennessee Bound’s career until October last year and the Maher team has managed her expertly.
Jack Turnbull, the National Assistant Trainer for Ciaron Maher Racing, said the stable had been careful in their placement of the mare.
“We’d have her in, give her a break, and thankfully (owner) Gerry (Ryan) just said do what you have to do,” Turnbull said.
“She’s a mare that has taken time and hopefully the time given repays us, but we can’t hide her now as we’ve placed her as best as we can.
“She’s in a 1300-metre benchmark 88 and we feel as though that’s that next bracket, but it’s tougher again than what she has been meeting.”
Turnbull said the team was unsure where the ceiling is for Tennessee Bound.
If Tennessee Bound can continue the winning form on Saturday, there is the possibility she could head to the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m), a mares’ race at Flemington on September 12.
To date Tennessee Bound is yet to go past 1200m, so Saturday’s contest is a new frontier.
“If she was successful, a race that comes to mind is the Let’s Elope, potentially stepping up to 1400 (metres),” Turnbull said.
“She’s a speed horse, so we don’t have to stretch her if we don’t want to.
“We would only be thinking of Black Type if she was winning again.
“It’s hard to determine how good she might be because she is still only lightly raced, but she will come back and be better again, I’m sure.
“What she is racing against and her ratings, she is that Listed, Group 3 level now, at the right time, but to say she’s a Group 1 horse is a bit audacious given her trajectory has been monitored.”
In all of wins to date, Tennessee Bound has been in the first three throughout, including leading throughout at her past two starts.
“If there is genuine pace in the race (on Saturday), we would love to be third, fourth, fifth, in that sweet spot,” Turnbull said.
“She is unbeaten, she seems to raise the bar every time it is asked and hopefully, she can do it again on Saturday.”
