Leading jockey Corey Brown believes Sunday’s $200,000 Group 3 Juvenile Championship (1200m) will be the true test from which this year’s best two-year-old will be revealed.
Without taking anything away from Steven Burridge’s combative filly Lim’s Racer, whom the Australian hoop said he was impressed with her bottomless reserve in going all the way in the Group 2 Aushorse Golden Horseshoe (1200m) on July 8, he said his filly Athena had excuses in the same race despite a fast-finishing third.
To Brown, the Nom Du Jeu filly’s scrappy start cost her the race. Upon dispatch, she was seen copping a bump from stablemate Sir Isaac before dropping at the rear in the bumper 15-horse field.
Upon straightening, the massive (she weighs 538kgs) bay tried to take the shortest route home along the fence, running on boldly to finish only 1 ¾ lengths behind Lim’s Racer.
Brown is not the sort to whinge about any luckless run, but was certainly looking forward to a rematch where his filly would enjoy a clearer run to the post.
“She had to be taken out at the start when she was knocked over. I had to drag her back and I certainly didn’t want that option,” said Brown.
“She was shuffled back and had to come back another two spots. I should have been two pairs closer in the run.”
The Melbourne Cup-winning jockey fell short of saying whether the Cliff Brown-trained and Olympian Stable-owned filly would have won, but is adamant she would have finished closer.
“I felt she was unlucky as she was the only horse who made ground and was beaten only 1 ¾ lengths off the winner,” he said.
“Not saying she would have won, but she could have made it more interesting. The Juvenile Championship will be a chance for her to make amends as it’s a smaller but select field.
“I think they will have more time to sort themselves out. It will make for a more level-playing field.
“There will be less chance of interference and she’s also drawn a good barrier (three). They’re some of the best two-year-olds in Singapore this year and we’ll know for sure who’s the best on Sunday.”
Brown said that condition-wise, Athena has never stopped improving and filling out in her three outings, even though she was already a “big girl” from Day 1.
“Cliff’s done a good job with her. She’s going really good and has improved from her last run,” he said.
“I galloped her on Saturday and she worked really well on Tuesday as well. I’m very happy with her condition, she’s even bigger now, but it’s all strong muscular mass.
“She’s really come on. She can be a bit hot and temperamental, like full of herself, but I think next prep, she’ll be an even better filly.”
In three starts, Athena has thus far amassed a handy record of two seconds and one third. Brown also rode her to a close second to Macarthur (who is also in the Juvenile Championship) in the fourth Leg of the Singapore Golden Horseshoe series, the IRT Juvenile Stakes (1200m).
But perhaps, the strongest whiff of a win felt by Athena was in the Stewards’ room at her debut in a Restricted Maiden race over 1200m when ridden by visiting South African jockey Derreck David back in March.
She loomed at the 300m, but did not enjoy an uninterrupted run inside the last 200m.David lodged an objection against the winner Reddot Rising (Vlad Duric) for interference but the result stood.
