Hurry Curry (NZ) (Ocean Park) has stamped her Spring Carnival credentials with victory in the Crown Oaks Preview at Flemington.
Trainer Danny O’Brien has his eyes fixed on the Spring staying three-year-old filly races after Hurry Curry opened her city account at Flemington.
Hurry Curry took out the Crown Oaks Preview (1800m) on Sunday to give O’Brien and the filly’s connections hope for a feature race win during the Melbourne Spring Carnival.
O’Brien is already planning to step Hurry Curry up to 2000m for her next outing in the Gr.3 Ethereal Stakes at Caulfield on October 19.
And depending on the filly’s performance in that race, Hurry Curry would then press on to the Gr.2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on November 2 and potentially the Crown Oaks (2500m) at Flemington on November 7.
Ridden by Jye McNeil, Hurry Curry ($3.80) scored by 1-½ lengths from Inevitable Truth ($21) with Our Paramour ($3.60) a short-head away third.
O’Brien said Hurry Curry was always going to be a filly that would appreciate stretching out in trip and enjoyed Sunday’s 1800m journey at only her third race start.
“The first time at 1200 metres, was very much an education run and the second start at Bairnsdale she won very convincingly,” O’Brien said.
“She was having her third start today and she’s probably won quite soft again.
“It’s promising signs and she’s a filly that will get better again in the autumn, but we’ll give her a chance to push on into the spring now.
“She probably won’t run again for four weeks. She’ll go to the race on Caulfield Cup Day and then onto the Wakeful and the Oaks if everything is going well.
“She’s a typical middle-distance horse and the first time you get a good look at them is in a mile maiden, that’s when they’re suited, so if they can handle that, then you can step up the pressure and the distance.
“She looks like she is going to appreciate 2000 metres and further and that’s the thing with the Derby and the Oaks, they’re early in their three-year-old season and it’s always a test how quickly they can get to that sort of distance.
“She looks that sort of horse.”
