Chris Bieg prepares talented Royal Majesty for Sportsbet Rebel Raider Series Final

It reads well on paper, but it hasn’t been a straightforward preparation for promising filly Royal Majesty, who is striving to make it back-to-back wins at Morphettville on Saturday.

It reads well on paper, but it hasn’t been a straightforward preparation for promising filly Royal Majesty, who is striving to make it back-to-back wins at Morphettville on Saturday.

The three-year-old was a strong winner first-up in a Benchmark 66 over 1200m, a heat of the Sportsbet Rebel Raider Series, but the performance came in between two frustrating scratchings, the latest seeing Royal Majesty a month between runs ahead of Saturday.

Morphettville trainer Chris Bieg was buoyed by the first-up win under jockey Jason Holder, but has had to be patient with his talented filly.

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“I scratched her at Murray Bridge, I was almost about to saddle her up, I just thought the track being really firm on Cup Day wouldn’t suit her,” Bieg said.

“She won impressively with Stubby riding her (first-up), I had her in a fortnight ago and had to scratch her as she had a foot abscess.

“We were a little bit frustrated because Jason thought she would come on a lot from her first-up run leading into that.”

Royal Majesty ($27) takes out the first race at Morpettville 🤴 @RacingCmbpic.twitter.com/2scPxScOyA

— Racing.com (@Racing) June 1, 2024

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With that latest setback behind her, Royal Majesty is ready for Saturday’s Benchmark 72 over 1250m, with Ben Price in the saddle to replace the suspended Holder.

“He’s (Jason) frustrated as she’s a horse he’s got a lot of time for,” he said.

“We gave Ben the opportunity because he won on her in her first prep, there was no reason not to have Ben on, he just doesn’t spend as much time as he once did at Morphettville and is more at Murray Bridge and that.

“Jason has been riding a fair bit of work on her, and that’s how he got on this prep, Stubby is out but Ben goes aboard, so we’re losing nothing there.”

Despite being four weeks between runs, Bieg is confident his filly is well-placed ahead of Saturday’s fifth heat of the Rebel Raider Series and is eyeing the $100,000 final next Saturday on Sportsbet Finals Day.

“Fitness-wise, she’s where I need her, we gave her a nice gallop Tuesday morning just by herself, she cruised around under her own steam, Ben said she’s definitely matured and come on a lot from her last preparation.

“I was interested when Jason got off her after her win this prep and commented that she’s maybe a horse that can get to that black-type level.

“There’s certainly a good opportunity here to get her through this run, she’s a sensible filly and we can take her down the beach to have her ready to go for that final in a week’s time if she runs well Saturday.”

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The filly, who was a $65,000 yearling purchase, may then head to the paddock ahead of the Adelaide Racing Carnival next year.

“The owner’s got a property up at Paris Creek where we can give her a couple of weeks off on a good bit of grass, and then bring her back for the autumn here and target some of the black-type races,” Bieg said.

The Bieg stable has also been boosted by news surrounding smart three-year-old Big Brute.

The gelding had to undergo emergency surgery after suffering a severed hind tendon when galloped on last-start in September.

“He’s been given the all clear, he has another 2-3 months in the paddock and we can bring him back,” he said.

“You never know, we may get him back for the Guineas or something in early May and see where that takes us.

“He’s been given a clean bill of health which is very good.”

Royal Majesty is a $6.50 chance with Sportsbet fixed odds on Saturday.

Originally published as Chris Bieg prepares talented Royal Majesty for Sportsbet Rebel Raider Series Final