New Zealand Oaks winner Miss Artistic will arrive in Melbourne next week as the support act for highly-rated stablemate Zurella.
Miss Artistic pleased trainer Shaune Ritchie with her effort to finish third in a 1020m Doomben barrier trial last Tuesday, her first serious hit-out since she finished 10th to Quintessential in the Group One Queensland Oaks (2400m) at Eagle Farm on June 2.
“I left her in the care of Toby Edmonds at the Gold Coast and he had her in superb order for the trial,” Ritchie said.
“She had a nice cruisy trial and although she’s not a big, gross mare she looks well and had great cover across her rib cage which is exactly what I wanted to see.”
Ritchie will maintain a close watch on Miss Artistic’s progress during the spring to ensure she is feeling no lasting effects from a long campaign during her three-year-old season.
“I’m mindful that she had a busy season in New Zealand during the summer and a bottoming run in the Queensland Oaks on a very heavy track,” he said.
Miss Artistic will fly to Melbourne next week where she will be re-acquainted with Zurella who shapes as the number one seed for Ritchie in the Caulfield Cup.
“They’re great pals from way back and finished alongside each other in the New Zealand Oaks well clear of the third placegetter,” Ritchie said.
Zurella and Miss Artistic will open their Melbourne spring carnival campaign in the Group Two Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday week.
“It’s a good race for them to kick off in and under the set weights and penalties conditions they should be well suited,” he said.
“The goal with Zurella is the Caulfield Cup and I’m hoping to sneak her in via the Naturalism or Herbert Power Stakes which are ballot-free races.
“With Artistic I’ll play it by ear and assess her after she runs in the Let’s Elope.”
