The significant targets for Surfin’ Bird are set to emerge later in the spring racing season, but co-trainer Adrian Bott is looking forward to the progressive mare commencing her campaign in the Golden Pendant at Rosehill.
This five-year-old has competed in just nine races, achieving five wins, including her most recent start where she concluded her last preparation with victory in the Magic Millions National Classic (1600m) at Eagle Farm in June.
Three of her wins have been over 1550 metres or further. While Bott anticipates a competitive first-up effort in Saturday’s 1400-metre race, he is more eager for Surfin’ Bird to compete over longer distances.
“It will be a tough race for her first-up, and she will be better suited when she gets out to the mile, but I thought she’d been trialling up well,” Bott said.
“She had a great campaign in the winter. We will probably head down to Melbourne with her after this.”
Tim Clark is booked to ride Surfin’ Bird from barrier three. She is currently priced at $6.50 in a field of nine where five runners are within single-figure odds, with the talented Lazzura at the top of the market at $2.30.
Bott also expects stablemate New Endeavour to improve from his run in the Shannon Stakes (1500m) when he returns.
The gelding finished third in the same event twelve months ago but has been absent since finishing behind Gringotts in The Gong (1600m) last November. He has a record of never winning when resuming.
“He’s been a while off the scene but has come back well,” Bott commented.
“He’ll be better again once he gets to 2000 metres.”
Regan Bayliss will partner New Endeavour, while Dylan Gibbons takes the reins on stablemate Sovereign Hill, who was scratched from a benchmark race in favour of this Group 2 contest.
The Shannon Stakes pair will be among eight runners for Tulloch Lodge at Rosehill, alongside outsider Plagiarism, in the day’s major prize, the $1 million Golden Rose (1400m).
Consider the racing betting markets for the upcoming Golden Pendant at Rosehill.