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Gai's Choice can kick off her latest campaign with two straight wins and book a trip to Queensland when the mare lines up in Saturday's SCCF Ken Callander Fellowship Handicap at Rosehill.
Photo by Racing and Sports
The four-year-old mare has returned back to the Warwick Farm stables of David Pfieffer following a preparation with the Wyong-based Brett Partelle.
Gai's Choice goes into Saturday's Fillies And Mares Benchmark 80 Handicap (1300m) after winning at the track first up over 1100m on May 12.
“Gai is going well,” Pfieffer said.
“It was a good win first up over a distance which probably wasn't that suitable for a mare like her. But they went hard up front, set a good pace and it set it up for the backmarkers.
“It just worked out as a well timed run and ride. If it had of been 50m further or 50m less she would have gotten beat.
“She raced well and it was good to see her race good too. She landed back in my stable and winning first up, it was encouraging.”
The General Nediym mare is currently an equal $4.40 favourite with TAB Sportsbet Fixed Odds alongside the Peter Snowden-trained Haut Ton.
Pfieffer is expecting a forward showing from the mare who he believes will relish the distance rise second up.
“This was the race we looked at,” Pfieffer said.
“I threw her into an 1100m first up thinking it would be too short but she would still race good. Saturday is going to be a more suitable distance over the 1300m.”
“We'll let her come out of barrier one and let her be where she wants to be. I expect to see her be running fourth or fifth.”
Gai's Choice has recorded five wins and three minor placings during her 22 start career along with $280,000 in prizemoney earnings.
Black type has however eluded the daughter of General Nediym after three tilts at Stakes level.
The hunt for this elusive black type may recommence if the four-year-old performs up to expectations second up.
“If she races competitively on Saturday we are going to look at the Gai Waterhouse Classic at Ipswich there on Cup day,” Pfieffer said.
“She has won $250,000 in prizemoney and is a two time Saturday winner so we just want try and get a bit of black type with her so she'll be considered a more valuable broodmare when she's finished her race career.”
Pfieffer has also seen a couple of handy types in River Of Salvation and Tahitian Black enter his Warwick Farm stable for their latest campaigns.
River Of Salvation chalked up his second win in just four starts for David Pfieffer in his latest outing at Canterbury on May 16.
The Don Eduardo gelding on that occasion made all to take out a 3YO+ Benchmark 75 Handicap over 1550m with Pfieffer looking at a similar race for River Of Salvation's next start.
“He is racing on the second of June at Warwick Farm over a mile,” Pfieffer said.
“He is going great. He's had four starts with me for two wins and two thirds which were both arguably unlucky.
“I took him out for the Mudgee Cup and you can imagine as with any five-year-old he has his issues. We got out there and the track was pretty hard. He tried his heart out but you could see him shorten stride.
“When he came out on a decent surface at Canterbury he bounced back.”
Stablemate Tahitian Black was last seen finishing third at Canterbury on Wednesday behind the highly promising Mecir in a Benchmark 70 over 1100m.
“I thought it was a super run,” Pfieffer said.
“I thought my bloke race well one month between runs.
“He probably got a bit keen mid-race and the gap probably didn't open up early enough for him.”
“The two horses that went past him down the straight came into it with good momentum and they equalled the track record.
“The winner has beaten seasoned horses there at just his second race start and has gone and broken a nine year old track record. I reckon it will be stepping up in class very quickly.”