John Morell’s last trip to Ruakaka with Florence Jean was a successful one, but he’s not overly confident of a similar result on their return this weekend.
The Te Rapa horseman has the filly in Saturday’s Tavistock Owners’ Syndicate 2YO, her first appearance following an enforced break and he’s uncertain about her first-up prospects.
“A bit of rain on Thursday and Friday would be ideal for her though and, hopefully, she run can run third or fourth to pay for the trip and we can get a line on her. We’ll make a plan after we see how she goes.”
Florence Jean was a trial winner at Te Aroha before she was a runaway debut winner at Ruakaka in January and in her only other appearance she finished a luckless sixth in the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes.“She had issues with shin soreness and we tried to get her black type, but that didn’t work out,” Morell said.
“She got belted at the start and then ran on okay. She showed there that she might get further than 1200 metres.“Hopefully, she’s good enough to run in some of the nice three-year-old races next season, otherwise it will be back to Rating 65s.”
Florence Jean is a sister to the multiple winner Morse Code with their dam a half-sister to the Group Three winner Stickpin.
