See You In Heaven out to bounce back in Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes at Flemington

Trainer Richard Jolly is confident See You In Heaven can rebound from a “below par” performance in the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes at Flemington.

Trainer Richard Jolly is confident that stable star See You In Heaven can rebound from a “below par” performance second-up when she lines up in the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday.

See You In Heaven won impressively first-up in the Group 3 Behemoth Stakes in August, but the win may have taken the wind out of her sails momentarily, fading to finish fourth next start in the Leon Macdonald Stakes.

A three-week break has seen the mare pick up again, ensuring she can give her rivals a shake on Saturday with champion hoop Jamie Kah booked to ride.

“She’s been good. She was a little bit quiet for a few days, maybe looking back on it, that first-up run might have taken a little bit more out of her than we thought,” Jolly, who trains in partnership with daughter, Chantelle, said.

“She did race a little bit below par (last-start), a bit flat second-up as they can do, she hadn’t raced for a long time, she raced a bit like the old ‘second up syndrome’ to me.

“She was a bit quiet for the mid part of that week after, but now she’s picked up really well – it’s good that we’ve had three weeks between runs.”

"She's making a statement, see you in the spring!"

See You In Heaven returns in grand style to win the G3 Behemoth Stakes ⭐️ @RJollyRacingpic.twitter.com/zxnbMJPj1J

— Racing.com (@Racing) August 10, 2024

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Jolly said there’s still more improvement to come with the six-time stakes winner, who finished fourth in last year’s edition of the Let’s Elope.

“She’s worked good, been sound, I still don’t think she’s at her top yet, I think at her fourth run in she is going to be close to peaking,” he said.

“These races are hard, at least we are not taking on Amelia’s Jewel this year who won it last year.

“I’m confident she’s going well and will acquit herself well.”

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Last spring the mare tackled the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m), where she finished 10th. A tilt at the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) on November 2 is the main target this time around.

“There will be a run in between, whether she goes back to Moonee Valley for the Stocks Stakes (1500m), there’s another 1400m also,” he said.

“I would like to get her to a mile after this next run.

“We probably wouldn’t go down the Toorak path again. I’m keen to stick to the mares races.”

“Obviously the Derby Day Group 1 for mares (Empire Rose) is a goal, but we’ll just go run by run at this stage and judge her on how she runs on Saturday, and how she pulls up.”

See You In Heaven is a $5 favourite with TAB fixed odds for Saturday’s Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes.

Originally published as See You In Heaven out to bounce back in Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes at Flemington