Srikandi, arguably the best sprinting mare racing in Australia today, will be restricted to only one spring start for fear of jeopardising her Royal Ascot aspirations in 2016.
Trainer Ciaron Maher is focused on getting Srikandi to the UK next year where her mission will be the G1 Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.
Maher, enhancing his reputation as one of Australia’s most talented trainers almost by the week, has already mapped out the path he intends to take with Srikandi in preparation for her international challenge.
“The big goal with Srikandi is the Golden Jubilee at Royal Ascot,” Maher said.“My plan is to give her just the one spring start at Flemington and then two or three races in the autumn before she travels.”
Significantly all the races Maher has pencilled in for Srikandi are Group One weight-for-age events, all aimed at enhancing her value as a stud proposition for international breeders.Maher and her big syndicate of owners realise Srikandi could command huge offers from European breeders if she can perform at her optimum at Royal Ascot as she is by Dubawi, a sire with a huge international presence.
“Srikandi has a pedigree that would be very appealing to European breeders,” Maher said, suggesting that the intention beyond her Royal Ascot campaign is an eventual sale to a leading international stud.Srikandi’s breeding value is already immeasurable as her nine starts to date have realised $2.167 million from six Group and Listed wins including her G1 double in the Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) and Tatts Tiara (1400m) in her final two starts this season.
In the short term Srikandi will soon begin her preliminary training for her lone spring goal, the $1 million VRC Sprint Classic (1200m) at Flemington on November 7.
In the autumn Maher has several G1 options such as the Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington, William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley and TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick to fit Srikandi for her trip to the UK.While Maher is giving Srikandi a light spring, he will not be short on talent for the carnival with VRC Oaks winner Set Square and imported stayers Kapour and Tucano among his big race contenders.
Maher has the ATC Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick on October 3 in his sights for Kapour. He believes Kapour's residual fitness from his recent winter campaign will stand him in good stead for the first G1 staying race of the spring using races like the Wyong and Newcastle Cups as possible lead-ups.Kapour broke through for his first win in Australia in the Listed Winter Cup (2400m) at Rosehill last month before his close second to Bonfire in last Thursday’s Listed Grafton Cup (2350m) and will now have a short break before Maher starts his spring preparation.
Maher has named the G1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 12 as the primary spring target for Oaks winner Set Square, who is now back in his Melbourne stable after four weeks of pre-training at Warrnambool.“She's on a Caulfield Cup campaign,” Maher said. "She's a real natural stayer so I'm really looking forward to the spring with her.”
The OTI Racing-owned French import Tucano is certainly a horse to watch from the Maher stable going into the new season.A four-year-old by Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente’s late champion European sire Monsun, Tucano recorded one win at Chantilly over 1800m and five placings from eight starts in France for trainer Nicolas Clement before he landed in Australia in the autumn.
Maher is coming to the end of his most successful season since he started training a decade ago in Warrnambool. He has won 63 races in 2014/15 taking his career total to more than 300 wins.Maher now has four G1 wins to his credit with Srikandi (2), Set Square and Tears I Cry (2007 Emirates Stakes) among a total of more than 20 Group and Listed wins with the likes of Moudre, Mr O’Çeirin, Marksmanship, Chloe In Paris, Jameka, Akavoroun and his outstanding jumpers Al Garhood and Man Of Class.
