Considering Esha started at $6.50 in a weight-for-age Group 1 at just her third career start only four months ago, an off-season sprint for three-year-old fillies might appear a comfortable assignment.
However, trainer Shane Nichols is taking nothing for granted with the talented daughter of Extreme Choice and I Am A Star.
Esha resumes in Saturday’s $150,000 Jockey Celebration Sprint at Flemington and while Nichols is pleased with her preparation, including a sharp 1000-metre Balnarring jumpout win on New Year’s Eve, he acknowledges the 1100-metre straight-race presents a genuine test.
“It’s not a fait accompli; she’s got 60 (kilos), she’s 1100 (metres) first-up off one trial and is down the straight first time,” Nichols said.
“So, there are a few variables there that we don’t know about. But, physically, she looks very good, her work’s been good and she’s sound and well.”
Esha does, however, boast a flawless first-up record. She made a brilliant debut when winning at Morphettville in May before returning from a break to score impressively in stronger company at Moonee Valley on August 9.
That performance convinced Nichols to step her straight into Group 1 company for the Moir Stakes (1000m) at her third start, where she finished eighth, a placing she later replicated in the Group 3 Champagne Stakes (1200m) at the same track on September 26.
Nichols remains confident the $900,000 Magic Millions yearling can re-establish herself at Stakes level and views Saturday’s assignment as an ideal launching pad towards the Autumn Festival of Racing.
“This is just a nice lead into the Peter Le Grand Stakes, a Group 3 over 1100 at Caulfield in four weeks,” Nichols said.
“So she’ll have that run under her belt and, because she went out early in the spring, she didn’t have a hard spring.
“She’s still quite immature, but she’s certainly furnished better now.”
Markets are open with leading Australian betting sites for the Jockey Celebration Sprint, giving punters plenty of options ahead of the Flemington feature.
Lachlan Neindorf will become Esha’s fifth different race-day rider in as many starts after drawing barrier 12 at Flemington, with the filly holding the $4 second line of betting behind Military Tycoon ($3.50).
The post Early return for Esha at Flemington first appeared on Just Horse Racing.
