Grail Seeker has added two Group One victories to her record this season, and she will attempt to make it a third when she heads to Randwick on Saturday to tackle the All Aged Stakes (1400m).
The lightly-raced mare has just had three runs this season, winning the Group 1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings last September before doubling up in the Group 1 Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham in January.
She didn’t handle the firm going when sixth in the Group 1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa a month later and has been freshened ahead of her hit-and-run Australian mission.
Grail Seeker travelled over to Sydney on Sunday, and trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott have received positive reports ahead of her Easter weekend assignment.
“She did a good, solid gallop in Matamata on Saturday, and we think her work was as good as it has ever been,” Scott said.
“She went over on Sunday and Linda Burton, her regular attendant, accompanied her. She has really settled in well and it has just been quiet work on her arrival. We will just canter her through to the weekend. Linda is really pleased with her and she knows her really well.”
While pleased with his mare ahead of her Australian debut, Scott is wary of the star-studded line-up and her tricky barrier of 12.
“We would have liked to have got a bit better barrier to aid our chance, but hopefully she can step-up on the weekend and give us a good line going forward,” he said.
“She is going as well as she can go, it’s just the quality of the field is somewhat stronger than what she has faced before.
“We didn’t anticipate it would be this strong of a field, but it just means we are going to get a really good line on next season and where we set our targets.
“Jason (Collett) is a good jockey, and he is in terrific form at the present time, and he is going to get off and give us a good lead forward too.”
Grail Seeker will continue the one-and-done theme of her season and return to New Zealand in preparation for the spring following her All Aged Stakes run.
“We are looking to bring her straight home afterward this,” Scott said.
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