Trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott are looking to follow a familiar route with Agarwood, a well-bred two-year-old filly who booked her potential ticket to Queensland with an impressive first-up win at Warwick Farm.
Agarwood claimed Wednesday’s Schweppes Plate (1000m) by a commanding 2-1/2 lengths, a race won last year by Clean Energy, another Tulloch Lodge runner. That filly went on to win the Listed Bill Carter Stakes (1200m) at Doomben, and Bott indicated Agarwood could now attempt a similar campaign.
“She (Clean Energy) went up to Queensland off the back of that and won a nice stakes race,” Bott said.
“That timing could work in with this filly. She’s got the ability to do so, we will look at the big picture and see where she fits in best.
“Maybe a trip away is the right thing to do. It will help her grow up and if she is to be a potential spring filly somewhere that will help.”
Tim Clark was in the saddle as Agarwood, the $2.40 betting sites favourite, finished powerfully to defeat Penpel ($13), with Sylph ($4.60) a further three-quarters of a length away in third.
While the Listed Woodlands Stakes (1100m) at Scone on Saturday week remains a possibility, Bott is inclined to space Agarwood’s runs, believing she will benefit from more time between starts.
“Any valuable black-type we can get is of benefit but we want to do the right thing by her because I think there is plenty of upside,” he said.
“We have been patient to date. I like the way that, through the line, she opened up. Once she really got into stride she put them away late.”
Trainer Chris Waller also has Queensland in mind for promising juvenile Regulated Affair, who claimed the first race on the card with a dominant display.
Like Agarwood, Regulated Affair is by Wootton Bassett and Waller is targeting the Group 2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm on May 31 for the colt’s next major test.
Regulated Affair was resuming after a six-week freshen and, although Wednesday’s event was over 1000m, Waller is confident the colt will handle the step up in distance.
“We gave him a chance to catch his breath, there weren’t the right races around so we picked out this race and thought it would be a good stepping stone,” Waller said.