Multiple Group 1 finalist Tauwitchere will be striving to put a disappointing staying campaign behind her when she drops back to her pet middle distance at The Meadows on Saturday night.
Tauwitchere stepped up to 700m to target last month’s Group 1 Sandown Cup; however she was unplaced in all four assignments, the most recent a soundly-beaten fifth in a Cup heat.
“I was a little bit disappointed with her 700m runs,” said trainer Steve White.
“She didn’t jump like she normally can and found trouble every start.”
After a brief let-up Tauwitchere will drop back to a much more suitable 600m for Saturday’s GR8 Eight Series event (race 5 at 7.50pm).
But she’ll need to be on her game against the in-form Last Hurrah, winner of three of his last five, including a last start GR8 Eight success at Sandown Park.
The two key players are drawn alongside each other, with Last Hurrah (box 2) TAB’s $2 favourite, shading Tauwitchere (box 3) at $2.70.
Tauwitchere boasts a 50 per cent strike rate over The Meadows’ middle distance, winning four of her eight starts, while she has also won four from seven over 595m at Sandown.
“I think 600m – 660m is her best distance,” White offered.
“She’s nice and fresh and has raced well like this in the past. As long as she jumps she’s a chance but it won’t be an easy task.”
With Tauwitchere the winner of 19 of her 46 starts, highlighted by a runaway eight-length victory in last year’s Group 2 Launching Pad, the breeding barn is obviously a very appealing option for South Australia-based owner/breeder Kirin Corby and White expects it’s likely to be sooner than later.
“I know Kirin doesn’t want her to be racing for much longer as she’s a very valuable brood bitch, especially now that Irish Keepsake’s next litter has just started racing with success and has a track record holder (Suspense) already,” said White.
“There’s no rush though so we’ll look at targeting these GR8 Eight races.”
