Mornington-based trainer Michael Mehegan admits he feels fortunate to still have Bossy Benita in work as the mare prepares for a return to racing at Caulfield.
The four-year-old gave her connections a scare last year when she dislodged her rider during trackwork and bolted through multiple sections of running rail, an incident that threatened to end her racing career.
Fortunately, Bossy Benita escaped serious injury and will resume in Saturday’s Group 3 Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes (1200m) where Mehegan hopes she can add valuable black type.
Her return comes after finishing near the tail in the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) last spring, a run that followed the frightening trackwork incident.
“We had her in really good condition and form before the Let’s Elope, but she had a track accident where she lost the rider,” Mehegan said.
“She went through three or four different parts of running rail and we were lucky she survived. I thought she was going to kill herself, she was that bad, she was in complete flight mode.
“We trialled her after that and we pushed on to the Let’s Elope, but she just wasn’t right.
“At that level you need to be excellent and she wasn’t. She was cooked by then and in hindsight I should never have run her, but she was airborne before that.”
Mehegan elected to give the mare an extended spell before bringing her back with three jump-outs.
“She had six weeks in the paddock and she’s had three jump-outs, normally I just give her two,” he said.
“She trialled against Jigsaw and finished second, but wasn’t quite ready, so I gave her another one which she won impressively and that showed us she was back to her best.”
While acknowledging Saturday’s task is a challenge on ratings, Mehegan believes the race suits.
“It’s been a long-range plan to kick her off in the Bellmaine and try and win it for a third time,” he said.
“There are horses rated higher than her, but I think she’s up to that level.
“She’s probably better than Prussian Vixen, but she can get a bit hot. I think she’s good enough to win at 1200 metres.”
Lachlan Neindorf will take the ride after partnering the mare in recent work.
Those assessing the Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes can review the latest betting markets for the race ahead of Saturday’s meeting.
The post Mornington trainer chases third Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes win first appeared on Just Horse Racing.