Trainer Thomas Carberry experienced a triumphant moment at Ballarat when his charge Strictly Business secured the VRC Oaks at Flemington.
That significant win twelve months prior marked Carberry’s most considerable success, and the Ballarat-based horseman is keen to return for the same prestigious Group 1 race, contested over 2500m at Flemington on November 5.
Carberry has his filly, Refuse To Curtsy, being prepared for the Oaks, and she is notably a half-sister to last year’s triumphant runner.
As part of her preparation for the Oaks, Refuse To Curtsy is scheduled to compete in the Beverly Rooftop Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield on Wednesday. The filly also holds an entry for the Ethereal Stakes (2000m) on Saturday.
The prevailing weather conditions, and critically, the track surface, will ultimately dictate Refuse To Curtsy’s race day destination, as Carberry is favouring ‘sound ground’ for the filly.
“We won’t get to run off that handicap mark again if she was successful in the Ethereal, but that is probably getting ahead of ourselves,” Carberry stated. “She’s in great form and has been working well.”
Refuse To Curtsy recently claimed a maiden 1600m race at Kilmore and will now step up to a benchmark 70 contest on Wednesday.
Carberry has implemented a distinct training approach for Refuse To Curtsy compared to the methods used with Strictly Business last year.
Strictly Business commenced her campaign with a victory in a Ballarat maiden on October 24, followed by an appearance in the Wakeful Stakes eight days later, ultimately leading to her Oaks triumph.
Refuse To Curtsy, who was second-up when she won at Kilmore, is slated by Carberry to run in the Wakeful Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 31, serving as a lead-up to the Oaks.
“She’s from a good staying family and she’s showing all the right signs,” Carberry commented. “She won her maiden quite nicely and after this start, I think we’d go the way of the Wakeful.”
Carberry, who personally oversees much of his horses’ training, is currently unable to ride due to an injury, but is relishing the excitement of being a contender in the Melbourne Spring Carnival with Strictly Business, who is also Melbourne Cup bound.
“A horse kicked me at the top of the femur and it’s a 12-week process and I’m about four weeks into it,” Carberry explained. “It absolutely fantastic to be a part of the spring and to have a couple of horses that may be a part of it, we’re all enjoying the ride.”
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