Ciaron Maher insists Azkadellia is still on track for Tiara despite Stradbroke flop

CIARON Maher has told punters to put a line through Azkadellia’s Stradbroke flop as the Victorian trainer remains confident the four-year-old can bounce back in Saturday week’s Tattersall’s Tiara at Eagle Farm.

Ciaron Maher has told punters to forgive Azkadellia. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

CIARON Maher has told punters to put a line through Azkadellia’s Stradbroke flop as the Victorian trainer remains confident the four-year-old can bounce back in Saturday week’s Tattersall’s Tiara at Eagle Farm.

Azkadellia’s bid to win the final Group 1 of the Queensland Winter Carnival was given a boost yesterday with news Ghisoni has been ruled out of the Tattersall’s Tiara.

Azkadellia was defeated a massive 10½ lengths in Saturday’s Stradbroke, which was the biggest losing margin in her 16-start career.

The first six across the line in the Stradbroke scouted wide on the track in the straight but Azkadellia raced close to the fence and Maher insists this was the reason for the disappointing performance.

“If you look at the two races before her and the race after I don’t think they went anywhere near about 10m off the rail, so it was pretty clear it was inferior ground,” Maher said.

“I think you just have to forget the run and Malaguerra finished back there where Azkadellia did and he was a horse I thought would be hard to beat, but he was just on the wrong part of the track.”

Maher, who confirmed Azkadellia will run in the Tattersall’s Tiara providing she works well in the lead up, stopped short of being heavily critical of Damien Oliver’s ride in the Stradbroke but said no decision had been made on who will ride the mare on Saturday week.

“Prior to the race we wanted to be on the outside and clearly we weren’t but I know it doesn’t always go to plan and it is what it is,” he said.

“Maybe (Damien) thought he could cut the corner and get to the outside but anyway it didn’t work out.”

Maher was fairly upbeat about Azkadellia’s chances heading into the Stradbroke and said the race had done little to dent his confidence heading into the Tiara.

“She seemed to come through it well and she recovered quickly after the race,” he said.

“If she works well between now and then, I would say I would be going into the race (with a similar feeling to the Stradbroke).”

Meanwhile, Godolphin yesterday confirmed Ghisoni would not line up in the Tattersall’s Tiara.

“(John O’Shea) just felt she is probably looking for the paddock,” Godolphin racing manager Darren Beadman said.

“He just felt another couple of weeks going into this race wouldn’t help her out going into the spring.”

The news comes after Ghisoni finished a disappointing fifth as a short-priced favourite in the Group 2 Dane Ripper Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

The Lonhro filly missed the start and then tracked wide in the run before just plugging home in the straight.