Treasurethe Moment is gearing up for her spring preparation with a scheduled jump-out at Mornington, as trainer Matt Laurie and the Yulong team weigh up whether to target the Caulfield Cup (2400m) or the Cox Plate (2040m).
Both feature races closed for nominations on Tuesday, with Treasurethe Moment included among the 146 entries for the Caulfield Cup and 108 for the Cox Plate. The international interest is down on last year, with only 12 overseas entries in the Caulfield Cup and 11 in the Cox Plate, compared to 36 and 20 respectively in 2024.
The dual Oaks winner, having claimed both the VRC Oaks and the ATC Australian Oaks last season, is set for her first serious hit-out at Mornington on Wednesday.
Laurie has mapped out a path beginning with the Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 30, followed by the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 13 and then the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) on October 4 before a final call is made on her grand final.
“She’s already got a great win record, but it will be interesting to see how she handles herself against this next lot of opposition,” Laurie said.
“She’ll kick off in the Memsie, then the Makybe Diva, Turnbull and then a decision whether it will be the Caulfield Cup or the Cox Plate.
“Ultimately it will be the Yulong team’s decision, but I think whichever we go will be suitable.
“I think she would be happier on a bigger track, so that may come into it, but obviously, the Cox Plate is going to attract a crack field which may leave the Caulfield Cup as a better target for her ultimately, but we’ll just have to see how the preparation unfolds.
“Either way, the races we have mapped out for her will prep her really well for either race.
“She’s won twice at 2000 (metres) really well and she’s bumped that up to 2400 and 2500 (metres) and that’s been no problem also.
“She’s just an ultimate talent.”
Laurie added that with three Group 1s already to her name, there’s a lot less pressure this spring.
“I’m excited about this preparation as there will be a little less pressure coming into this,” he said.
“She was the standout three-year-old filly, and she achieved everything we set her for.
“I think this time we can enjoy it a bit more and hopefully she will continue and be able to nail a Group 1 against the older bracket.
“She couldn’t look any better at this stage of her prep.
“Most of the horses are still sporting a wintry looking coat but she looks like she’s well into the spring already.
“Everything indicates she has come back well.”
Laurie has also nominated unbeaten two-year-old Vinrock for the Cox Plate, with the colt aimed at the Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill in September.
Chris Waller dominates the nominations across both features, with 32 Caulfield Cup entries including Buckaroo, Land Legend and Valiant King, and 29 in the Cox Plate – nearly 27% of total entries – led by defending champion Via Sistina.
Ciaron Maher, Australia’s premier trainer last season, has 25 nominations for the Caulfield Cup, including 2024 winner Duke De Sessa, and seven for the Cox Plate.
Leading the international representation for the Caulfield Cup is Joseph O’Brien with four entries – Al Riffa, Galen, Sons And Lovers and Trustyourinstinct. Aidan O’Brien has nominated Mount Kilimanjaro in both the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate, along with Bedtime Story, Diego Velazquez and Whirl for the Cox Plate only.
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