Co-trainer Troy Corstens has the Ladbrokes Sandown Guineas 2016 on the agenda for his smart filly Sweet Sherry who atoned for missing a Thousand Guineas run with a Cox Plate Day win in the Crockett Stakes.
The 2016 Ladbrokes Sandown Guineas is a target race for Crockett Stakes winning filly Sweet Sherry. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photo.
Corstens, who trains in partnership with his father Leon, has a very high opinion of the in-form Bel Esprit filly Sweet Sherry who after a freshen-up was back to her best winning the $120,000 Listed Bertocchi Crockett Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley.
Sixth and seventh respectively as a two-year-old in the Blue Diamond Stakes and Golden Slipper during the autumn, she won first-up at the Valley in August before a third back at the track in the Listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes (1200m) in early September.
Things went amiss when she got sick and the team were forced to scratch plans to head towards the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m).
“It was really disappointing, we really thought we could win the Thousand Guineas with her,” Corstens said post-win on Saturday.
“When she got sick; it was really gut-wrenching when the plan went astray.”
Sweet Sherry enjoyed a consolation win in the Crockett Stakes however thanks to a perfectly timed ride by Steven Arnold and could still bag a Group race this Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.
“There’s a Listed race on [Melbourne] Cup Day so we’ll have a look at that…then we might have a crack at the Sandown Guineas,” Corstens confirmed.
The Melbourne Cup Day run at Flemington on Tuesday November 1 will be in the $150,000 Listed Lexus Hybrid Plate (1400m).
Following that the $250,000 Group 2 Ladbrokes Sandown Guineas (1600m) runs at Ladbrokes Park Hillside on Saturday November 12.
From the outside alley in the third on Cox Plate Day, Sweet Sherry was a little slow away and Arnold took her back in the field early as the first two out Overstep and Blowing Kisses led them around.
The favourite was travelling midfield seventh with cover on the outside, in a perfect position to strike once they got to the later stages of the set weights plus penalties sprint.
Sweet Sherry ($4) came around wide around the turn and from that spot she took the length of the straight to get her head in front to score a final stride Black-Type win over the brave Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained runner-up Prompt Response ($9.50) who had been up on the speed.
Rounding out the trifecta for third in a photo for the final minor placing was the Chris Waller-trained Overstep ($9.50) who also did well to finish in the money after her on pace run.
“She didn’t fly out the barriers…so I rode her with cover and was able to get lovely cover into the race,” winning hoop Arnold said after the race.
“She travelled great down the side she was always going to be tough to beat.
“The team’s down a great job to get her back.
“She’s a really nice filly, has always run well at the best level and she’s in great form.”
For the best Melbourne Cup Day odds and to back Sweet Sherry in the Ladbrokes Sandown Guineas 2016 head to the race sponsor Ladbrokes.com.au today!
2016 Crockett Stakes Results & Finishing Order
Moonee Valley Race 3 – 22/10/2016
| Place | # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Br. | Wgt. | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | SWEET SHERRY | Leon & Troy Corstens | Steven Arnold | – | 13 | 56kg | $4F |
| 2 | 6 | PROMPT RESPONSE | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Kerrin McEvoy | 0.2L | 10 | 55kg | $9 |
| 3 | 13 | OVERSTEP | Chris Waller | Ben Melham | 0.5L | 2 | 55kg | $9.50 |
| 4 | 18e | ROSA CAROLINA (NZ) | Kris Lees | Hugh Bowman | 0.6L | 11 | 55kg | $16 |
| 5 | 7 | JEANNEAU | Paul Perry | Craig Newitt | 2.35L | 8 | 55kg | $18 |
| 6 | 17e | ANGHARAD | John O’Shea | James McDonald | 2.85L | 1 | 55kg | $18 |
| 7 | 1 | SELENIA | Robbie Griffiths | Jye McNeil (a) | 3.35L | 9 | 57kg | $19 |
| 8 | 2 | ZAMZAM | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Damian Lane | 3.45L | 6 | 56kg | $19 |
| 9 | 9 | BRULEE | Peter Robl | Nicholas Hall | 3.55L | 7 | 55kg | $14 |
| 10 | 11 | ALLUVION | Scott Singleton | Brenton Avdulla | 3.85L | 12 | 55kg | $13 |
| 11 | 8 | GRETNA | Chris Waller | Glyn Schofield | 5.1L | 5 | 55kg | $9 |
| 12 | 14 | MOONLOVER | Matt Laurie | Ryan Maloney | 7.1L | 3 | 55kg | $41 |
| 13 | 15e | BLOWING KISSES | John P Thompson | Tye Angland | 10.1L | 4 | 55kg | $7.50 |
| – | 5 | MODERN WONDER | Leon & Troy Corstens | Stephen Baster | – | 0 | – | – |
| – | 4 | MY COUNTRY | Peter & Paul Snowden | Mark Zahra | – | 0 | – | – |
| – | 16e | LOVE ME BABY | John Sargent | Michael Walker | – | 0 | – | – |
| – | 10 | NAJMAAT | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Damian Lane | – | 0 | – | – |
| – | 12 | MOTOWN LIL | Robert Smerdon | Dwayne Dunn | – | 0 | – | – |
