Mick Kent is letting his promising mare, Eternal Flame, chart her own course, but he’s confident enough in her potential to nominate her for the Cox Plate.
Kent’s primary goal for Eternal Flame this spring is the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington. He aims to get her to 1600 metres and then reassess, with the Moonee Valley feature still a possibility.
“She will start off in mares’ races with the idea that she will head to the Empire Rose Stakes. I’ll nominate her for the Cox Plate in case she improves a few lengths,” Kent told Racing.com.
In March, Eternal Flame secured consecutive victories in the Group 3 Matron Stakes at Flemington and the Group 2 Sunline Stakes at Moonee Valley, both over 1600m.
She then headed to Sydney and finished eighth in the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) at Randwick. It was a commendable effort, given she missed the start by two lengths and was held up in the closing stages, eventually finishing only 2.66 lengths behind Zougotcha.
The rising five-year-old mare has only had 13 starts and, according to Kent, has significant potential. She is set to return to racing in a mares Stakes race at the end of August or early September.
Kent, who manages a boutique stable of 20 horses, considers Eternal Flame his best spring prospect. His team also includes promising stayers Steel Run and Samuel Langhorne.
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