Looking radiant and in excellent condition, Abounding presented a picture of health at Robert Heathcote’s stable ahead of the Stradbroke Handicap. However, that Group 1 feature was bypassed, with the five-year-old mare now targeting the Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm this Saturday. This event offers a prime opportunity for Abounding to improve on her second-place finish from the 2025 running.
“She’s always been a good type and she’s healthy and she’s happy,” Heathcote stated. “She’s eaten well and she’s working well. We’d aimed for this even when I took her down to Sydney in March, we just wanted to put a fitness run into her and to freshen her up for the carnival.”
Abounding finished 14th in the Queensland premier race, won by Spicy Martini over 1400m on June 13. Despite the placing, she was only six lengths off the winner, and the heavy track conditions were a significant factor.
“The Stradbroke was a speed bump on an unsuitable track for her but I think she ran ok. She’s done well and we haven’t done much with her since that run as that would have topped her off fitness wise.”
“I just hope we get a track that is not too wet. I think it is a mistake that a lot of people make with Eagle Farm track in that when it gets wet it shouldn’t be graded soft five or six, or heavy eight or nine. It should be the amount of shiftiness because it gets so shifty. Either a horse can handle that or they can’t. If we get a Good 4 for or a Soft 5, I think she can go one better than last year.”
Abounding secured victory in the BRC Sprint on May 23, marking her as the first mare to achieve this since Red Tracer in 2010. The mare will be reunited with jockey Tim Clark, who guided her to that win, for the Tiara. She is currently priced at $7 in the all-in betting markets.
“Tim knows his stuff and they just get the job done, those top Sydney boys,” Heathcote added.
She’s Got Pizzazz was the early $4 favourite before nominations closed on Monday but will not contest the race. Splash Back, trained by Grahame Begg, is now the current favourite at $4.40.
For the Tattersall’s Tiara, consider checking out the latest Australian betting sites for the best odds.
