Caipirinha Set to Start New Season in Style

Posted on August 3, 2018August 3, 2018 | Posted by Tim Walker

Owner Barry McRostie has forecasted a new season will see a new pattern of racing for speedy mare Caipirinha, as she prepares to make her return to racing in the $100,000 New Season Sprint (1000m) at Belmont Park on Saturday.

Caipirinha has traditionally never settled further back than fourth in any of her 20 career starts to date, but was ridden quietly in the second of her two trials prior to her first-up run on Saturday in preparation for an attempt to run over further distance this campaign.

The Nicconi mare’s only two attempts beyond 1200m both resulted in second placings over 1400m at Listed level behind Ellicazoom and Lusaha in 2016.

McRostie said he hoped as Caipirinha, to be ridden by Joseph Azzopardi this weekend, got older she would be better equipped to stretch out over further ground.

“That is the plan, now she is a bit older,” he said.

“Everything is fine with her, she has come back very well.

“She has been bought back early because she does so well in the paddock that if we left her there she would probably hurt herself.

“This time in she will be ridden a bit more quietly in the hope she will get out to 1400m.

“There’s a 1200m, 1300m and a 1400m race for her after Saturday.”

It is expected Caipirinha will progress to the Listed Belmont Newmarket (1200m), Idyllic Prince Stakes (1300m) and Farnley Stakes (1400m) on August 18, September 1 and September 15 respectively.

Caiprinha finished ninth in last year’s Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes, and Mc Rostie said the sprint feature could be an option again later this year, after her brief campaign during winter and the early part of spring.

“We will probably give her a break after these four runs,” he said.

“We will see how she is going before we decide if we aim at the Winterbottom.

“There’s plenty of options at Group 2 or 3 level for the mares.

“Getting blacktype is important.”

Meanwhile, McRostie confirmed another of his star mares Meteoroid had been retired and will travel to Widden Stud to be covered by Nicconi.

He also had Merriest, arguably his best horse, return at Caulfield last Saturday and finished fourth in a fillies and mares Handicap.

McRostie said he was pleased with her return ahead of what he hoped would be a prosperous spring campaign.

“We were happy with that,” he said.

“Damien (Oliver) said he had to make a couple of runs on her.

“We are looking forward to her next start on August 25, as well as the rest of the campaign.”

The New Season Sprint is the feature event at Belmont on Saturday, and jumps at 2.14pm WST.