The Grahame Begg-trained Miraval Rose is set to commence her early spring preparations with a run in a late-season weight-for-age event.
The mare is entered for the 1100-metre Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday. This marks her first appearance since finishing fourth in the Group 2 Hot Danish Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill in November.
Now a rising six-year-old, Miraval Rose missed the autumn campaign due to what trainer Begg termed ‘a minor setback, nothing serious’. She has, however, progressed well and is ready for her return to racing.
Miraval Rose has completed three trials or jump-outs in preparation for her Saturday engagement. She finished second over 800 metres in May, followed by another second in a 900-metre trial at Caulfield Heath on June 11. Subsequently, she won a 1000-metre jump-out on the Pakenham Synthetic track on June 23.
Begg acknowledged that the 1100-metre distance for Saturday is shorter than Miraval Rose’s preferred racing trip, but emphasised that the run is a crucial part of her long-term campaign strategy.
He indicated that the mare is likely to contest the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on July 25, which will serve as a lead-up to an anticipated assault on some of the premier early-season weight-for-age races.
“She had a little bit of a setback, nothing major, and that’s why she didn’t race in the autumn,” Begg revealed. “We’ve brought her up nice and steady, but she’s not really well suited on the ground. She’s trialled good, she’s prepped up good, but there was nothing for her, so that’s why we’ve spaced her trials. She’s OK on the soft, but hopefully we get a fairly good rest of the week, while the 1100 metres is probably a bit short of her best distance. It’s probably not ideal, but it’s a matter of getting a run under her belt and then she can push on to the Bletchingly after that. We’re trying to get a bit of fitness on the other ones late in the season and then she might be able to go on to the PB Lawrence (1400m at Caulfield on August 15), or something like that, or there’s those mares’ races in the early spring.”
Miraval Rose had a strong start to her spring campaign last year. After a third-place finish first-up at Moonee Valley, she went on to win at the same track before claiming the Group 2 Rose Of Kingston Stakes (1400m) at Flemington in October.
Harry Coffey is scheduled to ride the mare for the first time on Saturday. For those interested in the upcoming races, consider checking out the various Australian betting sites for the latest racing odds.