Away Game’s hectic two-year-old year from six seasons ago stands out among modern juveniles, making it understandable that Lady Catalina, foal of the current broodmare, has begun her career at a gentler pace.
Away Game tallied four wins from eight juvenile outings, claiming the 2020 Magic Millions Classic (1200m) and Percy Sykes Stakes (1200m), runner-up spot to Farnan in the Golden Slipper (1200m), and a credible fifth versus elder mares in the Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m).
On the other hand, her first track foal, Written Tycoon filly Lady Catalina, faces her sophomore start in the HMAS Sydney Handicap (1100m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Johann Gerard-Dubord, Ciaron Maher’s Sydney foreman who came aboard amid Away Game’s juvenile phase, observed that Lady Catalina took longer to come along but holds plenty of promise.
“She is a very different horse to Away Game. Away Game was very natural, very early,” Gerard-Dubord said.
“By this time of year, she’d had plenty of racing already.
“We’ve taken our time with Lady Catalina. She is a beautiful filly. She has changed a lot physically, she has grown. She has been in work a long time because we wanted to take her to the trials and the races when she was ready for it.”
Lady Catalina opened with a dominant 900m maiden win at Newcastle on March 31, following the leader before quickening away late.
The tight distance stretched her early on, but the added metres at Randwick should play to her strengths.
“Funnily enough, even though she had been showing us a lot of speed, she was actually at her top for most of the way there and late she was good, so stepping up to 1100 will be no issue,” Gerard-Dubord said.
“We gave her a tick over trial last week where I thought she was very good. She was just there to have a good day out and trialled very nicely.”
Expectations met could lead to the Listed Woodlands Stakes (1100m) at Scone in three weeks.
The Written Tycoon filly represents John Stewart’s Resolute Racing and provided Maher’s debut success for the owner at Newcastle.
Betting sites have opened racing betting markets for the HMAS Sydney Handicap at Randwick.