Ciaron Maher intends on making another impact at Randwick on Saturday when one of the stable’s most popular horses, Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto), returns from a short break.
While victory in the Benchmark 100 over 1400 metres won’t quite rank with the awesome Queen Elizabeth Stakes victory of Pride Of Jenni, the race on the final day of the Randwick Carnival is still an important one for a horse who is also going places.
The Group One Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) in Brisbane in June is the ultimate goal this campaign for the former New Zealander, but for Jimmysstar to get there, he must lift his current rating of 93.
Maher said on Monday that he expects Jimmysstar will prove hard to beat and therefore open up the Stradbroke option.
“He’s freshened up really well,” Maher said. “He looks fantastic and I think he’s in a good spot.
“This is just a ratings race and if he goes well, he’ll have another chance at stakes level in Brisbane.
“There’s a Group 3 race up there that would get him there (into the Stradbroke field) but of course, he’d have to do everything right to get in.”
Jimmysstar became quickly popular with punters by winning his first three races in Australia, before ridden from the front when beaten in the Listed Elms Stakes (1400m) at Flemington in February ahead of a luckless unplaced run in the Gr.3 Newcastle Stakes (1400m) in March.
