Molly Bloom facing ‘toughest test’ in The Roses at Doomben: Trainer Andrew Scott

Molly Bloom is an exciting star filly from New Zealand but her trainers say Saturday’s test in the Group 2 The Roses at Doomben will be her toughest assignment yet.

Astute Kiwi trainer Andrew Scott has declared Group 2 The Roses is the toughest test of Molly Bloom’s career – much harder than when the exciting filly scored a Group 1 in her homeland.

The Roses (2000m) at Doomben on Saturday is the springboard into the Group 1 Queensland Oaks a fortnight later but is a very good race in its own right.

Molly Bloom is the $4.50 second favourite behind well-backed top pick and former Kiwi Scarlet Oak ($2.90) with the pair both now part-owned by prominent Australian owner Ozzie Kheir.

But the race doesn’t end there with the Tutta La Vita, the filly purchased for $3.2m by US finance tycoon John Stewart, well-backed into $7 and then the likes of impressive last start winners Amazonian Lass and Poifect (both at $10).

“We have been coming over to Brisbane for the last five or six years and it’s one of the strongest Roses fields we can remember,” Scott, who co-trains with Lance O’Sullivan, told Racenet.

“From top to bottom, there is a good bit of depth in it. This would be the strongest field she has raced against, we believe this is a stronger race than the Group 1 she won.

“We are under no illusions that she has to be at her best to be very competitive. It will be a stern test for her.”

Molly Bloom won the Group 1 NZ Guineas (1600m) last November and has also won a pair of Group 2 races in her homeland, one of which when she was partnered by star Victorian jockey Blake Shinn who will reunite with her at Doomben on Saturday.

First-up in Australia this campaign, Molly Bloom was beaten as the $2.70 favourite in the Gold Coast Bracelet but she ran well without luck for second behind Amazonian Lass.

Amazonian Lass... Too good 💪 pic.twitter.com/nRrUB9lWJx

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) May 11, 2024

The race meeting was transferred to the Sunshine Coast and the heavy (10) track that day wasn’t in Molly Bloom’s Sweet spot.

“The ground was against her and she didn’t have much luck,” Scott said.

“When she got clear we were pleased with her performance as she worked to the line.

“She hadn’t run before that since February and it was always going to be a tough task for her, given the conditions and the gap between runs. We were delighted with the performance.”

Blake Shinn will reunite with Molly Bloom on Saturday. Picture: Mark Wilson.

Molly Bloom appears set to join the Chris Waller stable after her Queensland winter carnival campaign and potentially chase the riches of the Melbourne spring.

However, Scott and O’Sullivan have a laser focus on the job at hand. The big goal is the Group 1 Oaks on June 8 where Molly Bloom is the $4 favourite.

We have focused on the grand final being the Oaks and The Roses is another step towards that,” Scott said.

“We believe there will be further improvement as she will only be second-up on Saturday. In a fortnight’s time she should be at her best.”

Originally published as Molly Bloom facing ‘toughest test’ in The Roses at Doomben: Trainer Andrew Scott