Nick Olive’s Caulfield Cup second placed mare Single Gaze is on fire again this autumn and is ready for another big run second-up on Saturday in the 2018 Peter Young Stakes.
Group 1 winning mare Single Gaze is flying in Melbourne this autumn ahead of her second-up Peter Young Stakes 2018 run on Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.
The five-year-old daughter of Not A Single Doubt is out to break a notable winning drought, but looks in fine form to do so after an impressive return to racing on February 10.
The Canberra-based chestnut has not enjoyed a turf triumph since her Doomben success last winter in the Group 2 PJ O’Shea Stakes (2200m).
Single Gaze however was ultra-competitive across the spring last time in without a win, her campaign headlined by the eye-catching second at big odds behind upset winner Boom Time in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m).
As a three-year-old filly Single Gaze proved her class winning Rosehill’s Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) in 2016 before she fell during her Group 1 ATC Oaks (2400m) bid next start.
She looks to be recapturing that impressive staying form now and made an immediate impact first-up at Caulfield a fortnight ago in the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m) when narrowly defeated by the winner Hartnell.
Single Gaze was a nostril flare second in the weight-for-age showdown and luckless in defeat having been caught-up for a run throughout.
“You can never say you could expect that but we knew she was going really well in to the race, 1400m is not her go, the race was run to suit and she managed to finish it off really well, she was probably a little unlucky like a few others but it was great to see her run second,” Olive said of the CF Orr Stakes performance by Single Gaze, speaking to Racing Victoria on Tuesday.
That has given Olive huge confidence his $2 million earner can return to winning form as she gets out over more distance this autumn including on the weekend in the Group 2 $200,000 Peter Young Stakes (1800m).
“I think the 1800m will suit her second-up, she is a little more dour going in to her second run, we think she will be one of the main chances on Saturday, we think she will give it a good crack,” he said.
“She just seems to improve every preparation, she loves it down here, she was doing well in Canberra but she came down here and she felt like she was in a familiar environment and she is thriving off it.”
Further boosting his confidence was the encouraging piece of work Single Gaze put in on Tuesday morning on the steeple grass at Caulfield.
“She has come through that run [in the CF Orr Stakes] with flying colours and gone forward off it, she had a nice gallop this morning on the steeple grass at Caulfield and she worked really well,” he said.
“She sat off another horse, went three-quarter pace over 1000m and galloped home the last 600m, it was a good solid gallop and they came home the last 400m in 22.8 [seconds] so we were really pleased.”
Pre-field Peter Young Stakes betting at Ladbrokes.com.au list Single Gaze as an $8 shot with three other nominees above her in the markets.
The Darren Weir-trained Gailo Chop holds $3.50 futures favouritism following the French import’s victory on CF Orr Stakes Day in the Group 3 Carlyon Cup (1600m).
Godolphin’s three-time Group 1 winner Hartnell ($4.50) and the returning Sandown Classic winner The Taj Mahal ($5) are considered the other major dangers in the Peter Young Stakes odds.
The Peter Young Stakes is a key lead-up to Flemington’s Group 1 $1.5 million Australian Cup (2000m) on March 10, which is also on the autumn agenda for Single Gaze.
To back Single Gaze this weekend on Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes Day and over the autumn in the Group 1 races at the best price visit Ladbrokes.com.au.
