Trainer Danny O’Brien is set to have a two-pronged attack in the Gr.1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday courtesy of New Zealand-breds Inspirational Girl (NZ) (Reliable Man) and Young Werther (NZ) (Tavistock).
Inspirational Girl finished runner-up first-up behind compatriot Mr Brightside in the Gr.2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) at The Valley earlier this month and he has been pleased with her progress since that run.
“She’s come on really well and getting her to Flemington and 2000m is ideal for her,” O’Brien told Racing.com.
“She has got plenty of residual fitness, so I have no problem with her running over 2000m second -up.”
The daughter of Reliable Man is on a path towards the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) next month and O’Brien believes the Bob Peters-owned mare has the class to add another elite-level victory to her record.
“She’s a classy mare. She’s a Group One winner and she’s got a lot going for her in the Turnbull,” he said.
Inspirational Girl has had a decorated career on the track to date, winning 10 of her 18 starts, including the Gr.1 Railway Stakes (1600m), Gr.3 Asian Beau Stakes (1400m), and defeating Zaaki (Leroidesanimaux) in the Gr.2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington in autumn.
She was purchased by bloodstock agent John Chalmers out of Jamieson Park’s 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale for $190,000.
O’Brien is also set to line-up Young Werther after his satisfactory first-up run over 1700m at Flemington earlier this month.
Last year, Young Werther finished second in the Turnbull Stakes to Incentivise (Shamus Award) when he was second-up, but O’Brien pointed out that this time he is coming off a year’s break.
“He had a year off and he had 61 kilos. He ran well in the same race last year before he went to the Turnbull. We’re happy with where he is at,” he said.
“Last year he was coming off a much shorter break as he had run in the Australian Derby (Gr.1, 2400m). This time, he had the whole year off this year, so there’s definitely more improvement in him to come.
“We will see what happens after the Turnbull, but he’ll probably run in the Moonee Valley Cup (Gr.2, 2500m).”
Young Werther was purchased out of Cambridge Stud’s 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft by O’Brien, in partnership with Aquis Farm, for $140,000.
