Matamata trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott are hoping to make their mark in the three-year-old filly ranks during the Queensland Winter Carnival, starting at a rain-soaked Sunshine Coast on Saturday.
The Wexford Stables pair will present Group One winner Molly Bloom for her Australian debut in the Listed Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m).
It will be the first start since February for the Ace High filly, who has won four of her eight starts including the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), the Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m) and the Gr.2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic (2000m). Her domestic campaign earned her the title of New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year.
Molly Bloom left New Zealand on April 28 and travelled to Brisbane via Sydney. O’Sullivan reported on Friday that she has settled in well, but the Heavy10 track conditions on the Sunshine Coast have dented the team’s confidence.
“She handled the trip brilliantly and we’re very happy with how she’s been looking since she arrived,” O’Sullivan said.
“The issue with her is that it’s been a long time since she’s had a race – not since February – and she’s got to run over 1800m on a heavy track. It’s a good field with a number of fillies that are really hard and fit, while she’s probably going to need this run.
“Realistically, I’m not sure that she can win on Saturday, being first-up and running over that distance on a testing track. But we need to get this run into her, and we don’t really have the option of taking her out of this race and waiting for something else next week. Who’s to say the track conditions will be any better then, anyway?
“But hopefully we’ll get her back underway again with a nice first-up performance this weekend, and then we can carry on towards the Doomben Roses (Gr.2, 2000m) in a couple of weeks’ time.”
Molly Bloom will be ridden by star Kiwi jockey Opie Bosson. She will race in the colours of prominent Australian owner Ozzie Kheir, who bought a majority share in the filly earlier this year.
O’Sullivan and Scott could have two runners in the Roses at Doomben on May 25, with the up-and-comer Tomodachi also travelling across the Tasman this week. Bred and owned by Sir Peter Vela, the daughter of Tarzino has won all of her last three starts, most recently a 1600m three-year-old race at Te Rapa on April 27.
“Tomodachi has travelled over this week, so a week later than the other filly,” O’Sullivan said. “She seems to have handled everything well at this stage.
“She’s quite a different filly to Molly Bloom, who eats everything, and we have to do a bit of work to try to keep the weight off her. Tomodachi’s a bit more of a delicate filly, but she’s looking good and it’s so far, so good with her.”
