From a debut defeat at Goulburn to Flemington Group 1 placegetter, VRC Oaks runner-up Pavitra came a long way in a short time at her first preparation.
Co-trainer Will Freedman is bullish about the filly’s chances of again featuring in the three-year-old classics this autumn, although he admits his confidence has been tested along the way.
“Before her first run we’d had lofty ambitions, we thought she could potentially become an Oaks filly,” Will Freedman said.
“After Goulburn, we were slightly doubting that prediction, then she went to Newcastle and ran fifth there, but once she broke her maiden still being a two-year-old by date of birth, we knew she would be something pretty special.”
Pavitra came into her own once she stepped up to middle-distances and beyond, placing in the Ethereal and Wakeful Stakes, both over 2000m, before going down by a length to She’s Extreme in the VRC Oaks (2500m).
She resumes in the Millie Fox Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill on Saturday with connections opting to kick off over the shorter journey against the mares in preference to tackling the 1400m of the Hobartville Stakes.
“There was an option to run in the Light Fingers (Stakes) last week and then build into some longer races, but we just thought there was a little bit too much speed for her in the Light Fingers (over 1200 metres),” Freedman said.
“We decided to give her a tick-over trial (on Monday) and that would mean we’d be confident she would run out the 1300 or 1400-metres first-up.”
Rachel King will partner Pavitra and Freedman has modest expectations of the filly first-up, believing her best performances will come deeper into her campaign.
The ATC Australian Oaks (2400m) is a logical long-term target and Saturday’s assignment will be a launch pad on that path.
“She might finish in the placings, she might finish midfield, it’s not really result-dependent at this point,” Freedman said.
“We know she is good enough to be in Group One company with three-year-old fillies over a distance, it’s more to build that fitness and get her closer to peaking for her grand finals, which will most likely be the Vinery (Stud Stakes) and the ATC Oaks.”
Expressway Stakes winner Mariamia has been backed into odds-on favouritism for the Millie Fox Stakes with Pavitra a $12 chance with bookie betr.