Trainer Grahame Begg believes Beauty Bolt is ready to step up to stakes class at Caulfield.
After two wins on country tracks the usual regime for a progressive horse is to step quietly into city ranks.
Trainer Grahame Begg is taking a different approach, going straight to stakes level with Beauty Bolt in the Jim Moloney Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.
Beauty Bolt is unbeaten in two runs, beginning her career at Geelong in June before a last start win at Seymour.
“She’s done everything we’ve asked of her so far and the bar is getting raised on Saturday going from a Class One to a Listed race, but from what we’ve seen so far it looks a nice progression,” Begg said.
“We could have gone the high road and run in the (Thousand Guineas) Prelude next week, but we thought we’d go the low road and take softer steps.”
Begg says if Beauty Bolt runs well on Saturday the filly could go to the Edward Manifold Stakes at Flemington on October 5 or the Thousand Guineas at Caulfield the following week.
“Or she could even run in both,” Begg said.
Beauty Bolt surprised Begg with her debut win having not trialled publicly and racing over 1300m on a heavy track after a couple of jump-outs.
And Begg said he would not be afraid if the predicted rain came on Saturday.
“She seems adept in all sorts of conditions,” Begg said.
“We had no inkling of how she’d handle the ground at Geelong but it didn’t pose any fears for her on the day, then she backed it up after a little freshen-up at Seymour.
“We backed off her after Geelong and changed her environment, moving her from Caulfield to the farm at Pinecliff.”
Begg described Beauty Bolt as a relaxed galloper, saying she was too relaxed at Seymour, and should have no trouble handling the rise in distance on Saturday.
“We go there with some confidence but it’s a harder, competitive race,” Begg said.
“She’s probably the lightest raced horse in the field so she certainly has to step up again.”
