Three-time stakes-placed mare Tashi will make her first appearance since July last year when she contests Saturday’s Group 3 Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes (1200m).
The Peter Snowden-trained five-year-old has completed two Sydney barrier trials in recent weeks, finishing third over 908 metres at Canterbury on January 9 before winning over 1030 metres at Rosehill on January 23, and is now ready to race.
“I saw it (Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes) about two weeks ago, and when she trialled so well the other day, I thought ‘She’s ready to go now’,” Snowden told Racing.com.
“The race I was thinking of was another two weeks away in Sydney, so I thought we’ll have a crack at Melbourne.
“She hasn’t been there before, but I think she should fit in well. She’s had a couple of trials, so she’s in pretty good shape.”
Tashi is currently marked as a $9 chance with horse racing betting sites for Saturday’s Group 3 event.
“She’s right on the cusp (of winning a stakes race). She runs good races and she’s just had a bit of bad luck coming into vital stages of races and has only been beaten by small margins.
“She has been stakes-placed a few times but just hasn’t quite won one, so it would be good to get one with her this preparation. She’s going great.
“Her work has been really good and she looks so much stronger this time than I’ve had her before, so I’m reasonably confident that this may be her best preparation.”
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