While winning the NZB 3YO Filly of the Year Series with Jennifer Eccles remains the absolute focus for Shaune Ritchie and I, an outing at The Championships in Sydney at the start of April is under consideration.
Shaune Ritchie and I talked yesterday about the way forward. The Rip Van Winkle filly will run in either the $100,000 Little Avondale Lowland Stakes-Gr.2 (2100m) at Hastings, 26 February or the $70,000 McKee Family Sunline Vase-Gr.3 (2100m) at Ellerslie, 29 February. Safely through that outing, she will return to Trentham Gardens for the $400,000 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks-Gr.1 (2400m).
Jennifer Eccles will be nominted today for the A$1m Australian Oaks-Gr.1 (2400m), 11 April. Any visit to Sydney will be strictly for a one run mission. Another race under consideration is the A$200,000 Adrian Knox Stakes-Gr.3 (2000m), 04 April.
I visited Jennifer Eccles - now the winner of two Gr.2 races & Gr.1-placed second - at the stable yesterday. She has come through Saturday's commanding victory in terrific heart and is a happy horse.
