John Sadler seems primed to go after key Black Type honours for Merrigold at the Caulfield meeting.
The mare scored a win in benchmark 84 level at 1400m on Caulfield last Saturday, leading Sadler to consider entry in the Listed Anniversary Vase (1600m) at Caulfield on the upcoming Saturday.
Sadler commented that Merrigold excels at backing up post-race as a mare, and the Black Type incentive makes it a prospect the owners will probably seize.
Entry by Merrigold on Saturday would represent her second Stakes race only, having tailed the field in the Group 3 How Now Stakes (1200m) conducted at Caulfield in November.
That said, Merrigold has proven one of the steadiest mares competing since the new year, boasting two successes and three next-best efforts in five runs from January onward.
“She backs up very, very well,” Sadler said.
“That win on Saturday was good and I haven’t got a problem backing her up.
“She comes through her races super and the whole idea this preparation has been, hopefully, being a mare, to get some Black Type.
“We’ve got a Listed race on Saturday and looking at the nominations, it’s not going to be an easy race, but I think she well and truly deserves her place in the field.
“Saturday is Black Type, so that will do me, but then perhaps we could go to Adelaide, but I don’t want to get too greedy, as I still think she’s climbing the ladder.”
Sadler pointed out that backing up a horse Saturday to Saturday relies solely on how the horse handles the aftermath at the stable.
Merrigold suits this scenario to a tee, he noted.
“She just flies through her races,” Sadler said.
“On Monday morning she was five kilos heavier than she was on Saturday morning, which is quite incredible.
“She’s a very professional racehorse, one everyone would like.”
Saturday’s Anniversary Vase has attracted 30 nominations, including Melbourne Cup third-placed Middle Earth via Melbourne Cup.
Merrigold picked up a 54kg impost when weights came out Tuesday.
Punters looking for value in the Anniversary Vase can check the latest betting markets for the race across leading sites.
