Connections of Bring Me The Maid are hoping the addition of blinkers will spark the filly back into winning form in the Thousand Guineas.
Bring Me The Maid is the second favourite for the Group One Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on Saturday following the barrier draw on Tuesday morning.
The daughter of Sebring, a first-up winner of the Silver Shadow Stakes at Randwick on August 23, has had two runs since, finishing eighth in the Group One Golden Rose on September 13 before a disappointing seventh in the Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield on September 28.
Bring Me The Maid worked in blinkers last Friday morning and trainer Peter Moody galloped the filly in the gear again on Tuesday when she defeated Aimee over 1200m, running home the final 400m in 24.05 secs.
Moody admitted he was “grasping at straws a bit” in applying the blinkers for Saturday’s race and said he was not convinced she needed them.
“She went dreadful in the Prelude to be honest,” Moody said. “I’m prepared to forgive her that one and I’m pleased with her condition.”
Part-owner Wylie Dalziel said Moody and his team had gone over the filly following her last start and could find nothing amiss.
He said she may not have handled the firm track.
“They vetted her, looked at her knees and couldn’t find anything wrong with her and just put it down to the fact the track may have been too firm for her,” Dalziel said.
“For the first time in her career she didn’t let down, but she was still only beaten 3.85 lengths.
“We’ve put it down to an off day and have just wiped the run.
“Peter was happy with her this morning, so we’ll push on and roll the dice.”
Success by Bring Me The Maid would be the first Group One win for the syndicate formed by Dalziel and the late former champion jockey Roy Higgins.
Their first horse was Black Caviar’s younger brother Moshe who is now standing at stud.
“We haven’t had a Group One win to date from the limited number of horses that we buy, but we’re very proud of the achievements that we have had so far,” Dalziel said.
“It would be a great thrill to win this race.”
