Having claimed the Pierro Plate, Ciaron’s Star was retrieved from the paddock and now eyes a last-minute Golden Slipper attempt contingent on success in the Magic Night Stakes at Rosehill Gardens.
Her most recent run saw her finish sixth behind yardmate Spicy Miss in the Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m), after which plans shifted to wrapping up her campaign for a spell.
Yet the filly flourished in her brief downtime, encouraging trainer Ciaron Maher to reinstate her and target a place in a particularly unpredictable edition of the Golden Slipper.
Failing that, the Percy Sykes Stakes (1200m) during The Championships remains a solid backup plan.
“The original plan was to give her a break after last start, but she had a couple of days in the paddock, and she was feeling very well,” Maher’s assistant Johann Gerard-Dubord said.
“We thought, it’s (Golden Slipper) very open this year, so she will run this week.
“If she happened to win, we could consider the Slipper, but she is second favourite for the Percy Sykes Stakes, so it’s hard to bypass that, especially because she is so well.”
Spicy Miss is already confirmed for Ciaron Maher in the Golden Slipper (1200m), while Tornado Valley’s Magic Millions placing makes him a doubtful starter, with preferences leaning towards extending his trip.
“Tornado Valley, he probably goes to a Sires’ Produce Stakes,” Gerard-Dubord said.
“He showed us the other day that 1200 metres is a bit sharp.”
Debutant Hellenic Belle, owned by Annabel and Rob Archibald, will tackle the Magic Night Stakes (1200m) after bypassing a softer option at Warwick Farm midweek.
With a strong barrier trial under her belt, the filly by Hellbent shows promise warranting an immediate black-type test.
“We were in (Wednesday), but we have opted to wait and have a throw of the dice at black type first-up,” Rob Archibald said.
“We think she has got ability, whether she’s ready to do it first-up, I’m not sure. But we can’t fault her, and it’s a nice lead in to a race like the Percy Sykes Stakes if she shows she is up to that level.
“We like her, she looks talented, and we will learn a bit more about her on Saturday.”
The winner of the Magic Night Stakes (1200m) and Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill both earn ballot exemptions for the Golden Slipper (1200m) seven days later.
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