Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap the Brisbane Winter Carnival goal for Benedetta
Mornington trainer Jason Warren’s sole Brisbane focus with Benedetta will be on next month’s Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap.
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Saturday’s Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup is out for recent Group 1 winner Benedetta but that will give trainer Jason Warren more time to prepare the mare for her main Brisbane goal.
Warren opted to give Benedetta a week in a paddock after the four-year-old’s win in The Goodwood in Adelaide earlier this month.
The Mornington trainer gave the daughter of Hellbent her last gallop in Melbourne before Benedetta boarded a plane on Tuesday to head north for next month’s Stradbroke Handicap.
“I left her in Adelaide another week to get over the run,” Warren said.
“She’s had a really good week back on the farm once she got home at Mornington.
“We’d been working her all week and just keeping her ticking along.
BENEDETTA the second Gr1 winner (both female) for Hellbent from his first crop in the Goodwood.@WarrenRacing@jamieleekah07@EalesRacingSyn@millparkstud@inglis_sales@yarramanparkpic.twitter.com/wRBLN2Jytw
— Pedigree Update (@pedigreeupdate) May 11, 2024
“She’s also been down to the beach and she’s been getting about in the day paddocks each day with a pick of grass.
“She’s really bounced through the travel.”
Benedetta will tackle 1400m for the first time in Queensland’s greatest race.
But Warren noted Benedetta had won twice over 1300m at Sandown as a three-year-old and was now racing like she was ready to rise in distance at the highest level.
“She’s won over 1300m a couple of times and I think she’s looking for a bit further now as well,” he said.
“There’s usually good speed in that race and I think she’s ready for that trip now.”
Warren and Benedetta’s connections, including Melbourne Cup-winning owner Laurence Eales, have a crucial decision ahead of them before the Stradbroke Handicap.
Benedetta’s rider for the $3m is not confirmed.
Star jockey Jamie Kah rode Benedetta to victory in The Goodwood but in-form Melbourne jockey Daniel Stackhouse has steered the classy sprinter to six of her eight wins.
“Jamie rode her in The Goodwood but Dan had ridden her all the way through until then,” Warren said.
“Dan got down to a pretty low weight to ride her in the Bobbie Lewis.
“At this stage, we haven’t confirmed a rider. Jamie will be offered the ride and Dan is a good man to have as well.”
Warren said the Stradbroke Handicap would be Benedetta’s sole Queensland target despite the availability of the Group 1 Tatt’s Tiara against her own sex.
He said the Group 1 Manikato Stakes, in its revised timeslot in late September, would take priority before a possible shot at Australia’s richest race, The Everest in Sydney.
“It (running in the Tatt’s Tiara) wouldn’t allow us enough time for her to have a nice spell and for her to be ready for the Manikato so it’s probably just the one (run) at this stage,” Warren said.
“We’ve been in talks and there’s potentially an Everest slot for us. It might be the right year for her.”
Originally published as Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap the Brisbane Winter Carnival goal for Benedetta
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