John Morell is preparing for two trips to the Hawke’s Bay carnival, but he has a back-up plan for Florence Jean should conditions not fall in his promising filly’s favour.
The Te Rapa trainer has the Gr.3 Hawke’s Bay Breeders’ Gold Trail Stakes on September 23 on the Pins three-year-old’s programme and he is keen to give her a lead-up outing this Saturday.
“She will be up against some good colts, but it will give us a line on her. She hasn’t beaten too much just yet.
“But just in case the track’s wet or if she drew too wide I’ll nominate her for the three-year-old race over a 1000 metres at Ruakaka on the same day.”Florence Jean has already showed her liking for the northern track with a debut win there in January before she finished sixth in the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes after a chequered run.
Following a break, the filly returned to Ruakaka for a six length victory romp in July.“She was a lot more forward last time there than I thought she was,” Morell said.
“She took a few days to get over that though, it was a harder gallop than I wanted but she’s fine now.”Morell has no longer-term plans for Florence Jean at this stage, but he is keen to test her over more ground.
“I’m hoping that she will get a mile,” he said. “While she’s very professional, she still needs to be educated to settle. In those better fillies’ races she’ll need to be able to take a sit and get the last run at them.”
