Racing
Laurie in search of black type for classy pair
Prominent Victorian trainer Matt Laurie has eyes on two Group 3 mares’ races during the upcoming Ladbrokes Tasmanian Summer Racing Festival.
The owners of Laurie's handy sprinter-milers Miss Icelandic and Sparkling are hoping to secure some black type with the mares this season, so they are being aimed at the Mystic Journey (formerly the Bow Mistress) over 1200m and the Vamos Stakes (1400m).
Sparkling raced in New South Wales late last preparation (April-May), finishing just behind the placegetters in both of her outings at Randwick and Scone, after which she was spelled.
The five-year-old daughter of The Autumn Sun resumed with a fair effort at Caulfield before notching a fourth at Geelong in a strong benchmark 74 event over 1214 metres.
Miss Icelandic is a six-year-old that is more experienced with seven wins and five minor placings from 23 starts, for close to $300,000 in stakes.
The Deep Field mare is a 1100-metre winner at Caulfield, and she also won at Randwick last preparation over 1000m in April.
"Sparkling is a promising mare that looks well suited to Tasmania's feature mares' races and the 1200-metre race in Hobart (Mystic Journey) looks a likely target for her during the Tassie carnival," Laurie said.
"Three of her four wins have been over 1200 metres, but that's not to say we wouldn't have a look at the longer mares' feature at the end of your carnival."
Miss Iceland is proven over the shorter trips with all of her seven wins over distances ranging from 1000m to 1200m.
"Miss Icelandic definitely deserves a chance at getting some black type into her CV, and maybe Tassie can secure that for either or both mares."
Laurie said both mares would tackle the $200,000 Black Pearl for fillies and mares at Geelong on 3 January.
"The Black Pearl will tell us a bit more about where we go with these mares, but the Tassie carnival races are definitely big considerations."
Meanwhile, the Gai Waterhouse-Adrian Bott stable is yet to decide if it will target the Tasmanian festival this season.
The stable has had enormous success in the state over the years with the Derby, Oaks and major cups already in the trophy cabinet.
"It's a bit too soon to know whether any of our horses will get to Tassie for your carnival features," Bott said.
"There's no standouts for a trip to Tasmania at the moment, but as has been the case in the past, we will have a better idea a bit further down the track."
The Tasmanian festival continues on Friday in Devonport with the running of the Kevin Sharkie Sheffield Cup (1650m) that offers the winner ballot-free entry into the Ladbrokes Devonport Cup on 7 January.
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