Few fillies have shown the consistency and toughness of My Gladiola, and jockey Jamie Mott is confident she can capitalise when she returns to her own age and sex in the Group 3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.
The daughter of I Am Invincible, prepared by John McArdle, comes off a strong run behind emerging sprint star Tentyris in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes during Cup week at Flemington, finishing just over two lengths away.
This weekend’s $1 million Thoroughbred Club Stakes offers the perfect opportunity for My Gladiola to secure another valuable win, according to Mott, who has ridden the filly in all seven of her career starts.
“She’s a good-doing filly – a big, strong thing that has always bounced out of her races really well,” Mott said.
“When this race was put on and was worth a million bucks, if she pulled up well out of the Coolmore they were always going to have a look at it, and she has come out of the Coolmore really well.
“She’s going there 100 percent.”
My Gladiola has been a model of consistency, finishing top-two in six of her seven outings. Her only miss came in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) earlier this year.
A $550,000 Inglis Easter purchase, the filly boasts wins in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) and Listed Cap D’Antibes Stakes (1100m), showcasing both speed and resilience.
After repeatedly drawing awkward barriers, My Gladiola again landed gate one – but this time Mott believes the Caulfield layout will play in her favour.
“It’s quite a big field, so obviously, if you’re drawn out, you need a lot of luck anyway, so we know she’s going to get a good cushy run,” he said.
“We just need a bit of luck getting out.”
My Gladiola opened the $2.15 favourite for Saturday’s feature, with Red Roses runner-up Inkaruna, drawn in barrier seven, rated her primary danger.
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