3 minute read
Smart mare Ortensia can add a long overdue Group 1 win to her CV in today's Burswood Winterbottom Stakes (race 9) at Ascot.
The mare, who until recently was prepared by Tony Noonan, won this race in 2009 when it was a Group 2 event.
She also won the Group 1 Galaxy in 2010, but had the race taken off her through a positive swab return.
But today, in this 1200m Group 1 spring under weight for age conditions, she looks well placed to record a deserved top class success for her CV before retiring to stud perhaps at the end of this season.
Last campaign, the mare had a very well spaced and often interrupted campaign while at the same time racing in the top grade.
She began with a third in the Patinack Farm Classic last November before five weeks off then finishing fifth in the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint, beaten 1.6 lengths behind JJ The Jet Plane.
Another seven weeks later she returned in the Group 2 Australia Stakes and had little luck when fourth behind Whitefriars.
Up to 1400m in the Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes she worked home well to finish third behind Typhoon Tracy, the tackled the Group 1 Futurity Stakesand was sixth behind More Joyous.
The mare had another let-up before returning to Sydney for another crack at the Group 1 The Galaxy. This time she wasn't at her best in the heavy ground and finished a well held seventh.
She then pressed on with her campaign to the Group 1 Goodwood in Adelaide and after finding trouble early was always well back, finishing a five length 10th behind Lone Rock.
The mare was spelling in the Hunter Valley with a decision up in the air about her retirement before she was given to local trainer Paul Messara to return to work.
After a couple of Rosehill trials she kicked off again at Flemington in modest grade for her usual standards, and proved far too classy in the Listed race up the straight.
And with Black Caviar spelling and missing the Winterbottom, Ortensia looks ideally placed to win the race again as the class runner of the field.
The in form Craig Williams is back aboard and from gate two she's drawn to be camped off the speed with a good run and charging home late.
Bunbury galloper Morant may prove a good value each way chance.
While he is not well placed under the weight for age conditions, he is a horse on the up and he certainly has plenty of ability.
Last start he had no luck in the Colonel Reeves Stakes when a length fourth behind Avante.
Today he has drawn ideally in barrier four and has a terrific turn of foot, where jockey William Pike will be looking to get out and pinch a break in the straight.
He is at decent odds and should run well.
Grand Nirvana is a classy local who picks himself as the hardest of the WA horses to beat.
Fresh up he was runner up in the Prince Of Wales Stakes then was runner up again last start in the Lee Steer Stakes.
Back to the 1200m today he's likely to be getting back a bit further but should be hard to hold out in the straight.
Honest galloper Rarefied hasn't won for a while but has been super consistent over the spring and last campaign as well.
He was runner up in the Lightning Stakes at Randwick Fresh then just beaten in the Group 2 Salinger Stakes last start.
That's good form although he does rise sharply in the weights under the weight for age conditions.
Trainer Peter Snowden wouldn't send him to Perth, though, if he didn't think he could measure up and from a good draw will be parked just off the speed and working home at the finish.