Trainer Grahame Begg is taking a significant gamble, moving Aroused from a maiden win at Ballarat directly into a Stakes race at Flemington on Cox Plate Day.
This ambitious strategy underscores the trainer’s high regard for Aroused, who is set to participate in the Listed Crockett Stakes (1200m) this Saturday.
The daughter of Snitzel, Aroused, recently impressed in a 1000m maiden at Ballarat, leading throughout for a commanding three-length victory.
Begg is of the opinion that the filly possesses the quality to handle the considerable escalation in class for Saturday’s engagement.
“It’s pretty bold placement you could say, but she could not have been more impressive than what she was when she won her maiden,” Begg commented.
“There aren’t many races that we can run her in, and we feel that she will be very well suited up the straight.
“She jumps, she travels, she does whatever you want her to do, and she puts herself in a position where she can travel through her gears.”
The trainer held the filly in such high esteem during her two-year-old season that he had initially planned for her to debut in the Talindert Stakes at Flemington in February.
However, Aroused developed shin soreness after a trial at Cranbourne the month prior, leading to her being turned out for a spell.
Upon her return during the winter, Begg found the filly was not thriving and required another spell in the paddock.
“She wasn’t doing well in the stable, so we put her out again for another four or five weeks, boxed her at night, cuddled her up, looked after her, and brought her back and went to Ballarat confident she could win there,” Begg explained.
“She might get exposed going up the straight for the first time through lack of experience, but we think she’s a pretty nice horse in the making.
“If she can run well on Saturday, there’s the Thoroughbred Club Stakes at Sandown on November 14.
“It’s a $1 million race for three-year-olds, so that would be the race she would go to, all being well, after Saturday and then we’d look to the autumn.”
Compare the latest racing odds at Australian betting sites for the upcoming races.