Despite a relative lack of prior starts, Concord Connie is poised to challenge more experienced mares in the upcoming Empire Rose Stakes at Flemington.
Her trainer, Charlotte Littlefield, expressed strong confidence in Concord Connie’s potential to contend in Saturday’s Group 1 race for three-year-old fillies and mares over 1600 metres. The filly officially turns four next month.
Concord Connie made a significant impression during the latter part of autumn with two commanding victories at Flemington, including one by a substantial six lengths, which led Littlefield and her connections to set their sights on spring racing goals.
Although Concord Connie has been defeated in her two starts this preparation, Littlefield remains highly satisfied with the filly’s performance, noting that the 1600-metre distance should prove ideal on Saturday.
“She’s still pretty young, she’s still only three, so we didn’t want to overtax her this campaign, but things haven’t gone our way this preparation,” Littlefield stated.
“Mornington was never her right track, and we knew that, and we got a few hate mails after that, but there weren’t any other options. She wasn’t ready to travel interstate at that stage. It was a nice progression, although she didn’t win there and at Caulfield, the pattern that day didn’t play into our hands.”
“I didn’t want to go changing her pattern. We were hopeful she would be good enough to get over the top, but the sectionals she ran that day were incredible, and I don’t think she could have done much more. She’s in a really good space leading into her first Group 1 and hopefully it’s a Group 1 we can conquer.”
Littlefield has secured the services of jockey Craig Williams for Saturday, replacing Jett Stanley. She acknowledged that this was a difficult choice, given Stanley had performed admirably.
“Craig and I have worked together closely for the last three years and he’s probably the reason for my success,” Littlefield explained. “He launched me and helped educate She’s Bulletproof, Modown, Regal Vow, Stakes performed horses, and Big Swinger.”
“He was always in my ear asking to get on Connie and when the opportunity arose in this Group 1, it was the right decision to make in conjunction with the owners. We want to give the owners every chance of winning a Group 1 and we felt it was the right decision to make putting on Craig Williams. He rides so well and has such great experience at Group 1 level.”
Littlefield manages 32 horses in training, typically riding one or two each morning.
Concord Connie is not one of the horses Littlefield rides regularly, though she does mount the mare occasionally on quieter mornings or at the beach.
“I tend to do the quiet days on Connie as she’s a bit much for me,” Littlefield admitted. “We have a French rider, Valentin Le Boeuf who does all her trackwork. He’s a lovely rider and got off her this morning and gave me a call and said she was pigrooting, squealing and absolutely off her chops. She’s ready to run the race of her life.”
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