Pierro Plate victor Ciaron’s Star has been taken out of the spelling paddock and might start a late Golden Slipper campaign should she take out the Magic Night Stakes at Rosehill Gardens.
Following her sixth-place effort behind stablemate Spicy Miss in the Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m) most recently, the choice was taken to halt proceedings and give Ciaron’s Star some time off.
However, the filly thrived during her short rest, prompting trainer Ciaron Maher to recall her to the stable and offer her a chance to qualify for what looks like one of the most competitive Golden Slippers in recent times.
Should she fall short, the Percy Sykes Stakes (1200m) at The Championships would be a prime option.
“The original plan was to give her a break after last start, but she had a couple of days in the paddock, and she was feeling very well,” Maher’s assistant Johann Gerard-Dubord said.
“We thought, it’s (Golden Slipper) very open this year, so she will run this week.
“If she happened to win, we could consider the Slipper, but she is second favourite for the Percy Sykes Stakes, so it’s hard to bypass that, especially because she is so well.”
Trainer Ciaron Maher has Spicy Miss already entered in the Golden Slipper (1200m), whereas Magic Millions third-place finisher Tornado Valley seems unlikely to contest it, with the team preferring to test him over further.
“Tornado Valley, he probably goes to a Sires’ Produce Stakes,” Gerard-Dubord said.
“He showed us the other day that 1200 metres is a bit sharp.”
Owners Annabel and Rob Archibald have decided to debut Hellenic Belle in the Magic Night Stakes (1200m) rather than an easier race at Warwick Farm on Wednesday, from which they scratched her.
Having won a recent barrier trial, the Hellbent filly has displayed sufficient talent to tackle a tough assignment right out of the gates.
“We were in (Wednesday), but we have opted to wait and have a throw of the dice at black type first-up,” Rob Archibald said.
“We think she has got ability, whether she’s ready to do it first-up, I’m not sure. But we can’t fault her, and it’s a nice lead in to a race like the Percy Sykes Stakes if she shows she is up to that level.
“We like her, she looks talented, and we will learn a bit more about her on Saturday.”
The winner of the Magic Night Stakes (1200m) and Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill both earn ballot exemptions for the Golden Slipper (1200m) seven days later.
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