She missed out on a start last year, but the Nicole Irwin-trained five-year-old mare Valentina Star will line up in the $30,000 Rose Bowl 0-70 Handicap (1300m) at Darwin’s Fannie Bay on Wednesday.
It’s the feature race for the fillies and mares during the Darwin Cup Carnival, and it’s held annually during the meeting known as Ladies’ Day.
Valentina Star was a 72-rater this time last year and subsequently missed the boat, but not before Irwin presented a case to the Darwin Turf Club committee.
“We’ve had the Rose Bowl in mind for this mare for a while now,” she said from Darwin on Tuesday.
“I actually tried last year to get the rating lifted on this race – back then she was running in good form against Mayameen and Niewand and some of the better horses at carnival time.
“With the Rose Bowl being a Benchmark 70 race we were out of luck last year and we couldn’t have a crack at it.
“I have put to the committee up here quite a few times that I think the Rose Bowl is a great fillies and mares race and it probably shouldn’t have a rating on it at all.
“I think it should be an open race because quite honestly it’s the best fillies and mares race that you’ve got in Darwin.
“In circumstances like us last year, your best fillies and mares actually aren’t even in it.”
Despite proving competitive in the Top End last year, which included a win in four starts in Darwin and a second at Adelaide River, Valentina Star’s campaign ended because of injury.
“Jason Lyon rode her most of her prep up here last year and she just started hanging a bit,” Irwin said.
“We had her x-rayed – she had a chip in her joint, so we took her back down south and had that removed with the aim to bring her back again this year.
“She’s landed in a good spot rating wise (67) this year.
“She has been running well, knocking on the door – very close last start, just hasn’t quite got there.
“Her goal last year was the Palmerston Sprint, she didn’t quite get there because of that little niggling chip in her joint.
“Seeing what happens tomorrow the Palmerston could still be her goal this year.
“She sort of has to win the Rose Bowl to get into the Palmerston, but yeah, we’ll see how it goes.”
The Your Song mare, a five-year-old these days, started her career with high-profile trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, who are based in Ballarat, and achieved three wins in 13 starts throughout country Victoria.
Her only other start for Maher and Eustace was in Gawler in South Australia.
Valentina Star debuted for the Irwin stable on Boxing Day in 2020 where she finished third over 1200m at Morphettville and then posted a second (1008m) and first (1215m) at 0-62 level in the space of two days at Kangaroo Island in February last year.
Two months later she arrived in Alice Springs and failed to fire a shot in open company over 1100m before heading north to the Top End for her first Darwin Cup Carnival.
Returning from injury and a long spell, Valentina Star had two runs over 1000m at Morphettville Parks at 0-86 (sixth) and 0-64 (fifth) level in February and March before returning to Fannie Bay in April.
She has had three starts against decent opposition over 1200m and 1300m, which included a third placing, and was in fact a last start third – albeit by only half a length – over 1000m (0-76) on June 25.
For the Rose Bowl, Valentina Star will carry an extra 3.5kg and although she is a genuine chance, Tayarn Halter’s Noble War ($3.70 fav) and Kym Hann’s Swing With Junior ($5.50) are in pretty good nick with both horses aiming for their third straight win.
Valentina Star (Sonja Wiseman) has firmed from $7 to $5.50 in the past two days, while Dick Leech’s Madam Mischief ($4.20), a last start second behind Swing With Junior over 1200m, and Gary Clarke’s Bel’s Banner ($5), a last start fourth on June 25 in the race where Valentina Star finished third, are also strong contenders.
Irwin has every right to feel optimistic about Valentina Star’s hopes in the Rose Bowl, and has been pleased with her runs in Adelaide and Darwin.
“She has always been a really handy little mare – just probably a little bit unlucky to not have been a super mare,” she said.
“She’s drawn a good gate in three – she’s very well.
“Having come off a 1000m race, my only concern is that she may go a little too hard early.
“Sonja’s instructions will be to just try and jump, sit, let her be a little bit quiet, maybe let a few of the others cross her so she can get a nice lead into the race – she always does her best work late.”
Meanwhile, Irwin’s 2021 Darwin Cup winner Highly Decorated, who dominated all the headlines in the Top End 12 months ago, is recovering from surgery after suffering a tendon injury to his near fore after winning his first race back at Fannie Bay on June 4.
The Epaulette five-year-old gelding received Platelet Rich Plasma therapy to treat his injury at the Morphettville Equine Clinic.
“He is now chilling out in a box at a close friend of mine’s place, Leah Conlon – she’s a trainer at Morphettville,” Irwin said.
“He’s got to have a long time of rehab, so it’s a day-by-day situation, just playing it by ear at this stage, but he is doing everything right.”
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