It is often said that a picture paints a thousand words, and one in particular has been speaking volumes to Ruakaka trainer Michelle Bradley as she prepares She’s No Saint for the Gr.3 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Sunline Vase (1200m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.
“I took a video for the clients yesterday and she was standing perfectly still so I took a photo at the same time,” Bradley said. “I haven’t gone back to look at the photo of her as a yearling and compared the two, but I have sat back and looked at that photo over the last couple of days and I have thought ‘geez, she is developing into a lovely filly’.
“I think she is not far from being fully grown now, she has just got to fill out. You hear of these mares, like Well Written, and I haven’t seen her in person this time back, but it sounds like she has really filled out and matured. That is what this filly has to do now. She has put all her weight over spelling time into growing up. It is just time for her to start growing out and getting stronger, which will happen in time.”
The daughter of Prague is coming of age this preparation, winning her last three starts, including an eye-catching 3-3/4 length victory in the Gr.3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at her home track last month.
“I wasn’t really expecting her to jump out and get it cruisy like she did (last start),” Bradley said. “It was really good to see.”
Bradley said She’s No Saint has come through that run well and she is looking forward to lining her up at Ellerslie on Saturday.
“She has been down to the beach for a bit of a paddle and she seems to be quite happy in herself,” she said. “I am looking forward to it.”
She’s No Saint has drawn the ace barrier this weekend, and while not overly enamoured with it initially, Bradley has warmed to the inside gate as the week has progressed.
“When I first saw it I was in two minds,” she said. “The more I think about it now I am actually quite happy with it. It does give us some options.
“As you head them over ground, I would like her to get a bit of cover, but that is later on. For tomorrow, we will see how the first six races are panning out and how they are racing on the day, how the rail is playing, and go from there.
“There might be a few that jump and want to run, and I don’t want to get her to be in a fighting battle for the lead.”
She’s No Saint has race fitness on her side and Bradley said that could be telling late in the piece on Saturday.
“Some of these horses have only had the one run back and some of them haven’t even had a run back, they have only had trials,” she said. “I have had a couple of races under my belt, but they have been spaced out. I am pretty confident.”
The Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton in November remains the goal for She’s No Saint, but Bradley said her performance in next month’s Gr.2 Windsor Park Stud Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie will decide whether she continues on that path.
“A Group One is everyone’s ultimate goal, but we have got to get the trip,” Bradley said. “We will get through tomorrow and depending on how we go, 1400m will be the next step. As I have said to the owners, as long as we are competitive over 1400m, then we will carry on.”
Bradley is also looking forward to lining up Iridescent in the MyRacehorse 1300.
The daughter of Wyndspelle has won two of her four starts over winter, but will have to overcome her wide alley of 14 on Saturday.
“It (draw) is not ideal, but I am happy with her,” Bradley said. “It is not unusual for her to have a bad barrier draw, and she has got back and rattled on home. She is pretty versatile like that. There is not much you can do about it. We will just see how she jumps and leave it up to George (Rooke, jockey).” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
