Trainer Matthew Williams is hopeful a good break for Wrote To Arataki (NZ) (Wrote) after an underwhelming late-summer preparation can be the catalyst to a better spring campaign for the Stakes-winning mare.
Wrote To Arataki will resume in Saturday’s Group 3 Cockram Stakes at Caulfield, a race she finished third in 12 months ago, before going on to win the G2 Tristarc Stakes (1400m) later that spring.
It will be her first start since finishing fifth in the Mannerism Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield in February, in what was her second start of that preparation.
“We thought last preparation she was just a couple of lengths off her best off the back of a longer spring,” Williams said.
Wrote To Arataki’s spring last year was extended to include a crack at the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes in mid-November, after having to be scratched from the G1 Empire Rose Stakes a couple of weeks earlier.
“It was very late into the spring then and the turnaround time, trying to get her back for those races in the autumn, she just didn’t get long enough of a break and we just felt she wasn’t going as good as she could,” Williams said.
“We put her out and gave her a good spell. She had a good eight weeks out.”
Williams has also had the time to be able to give Wrote To Arataki three jumpouts in the past month in preparation for her race return and the mare has drawn a middle barrier in Saturday’s Cockram (1200m) with Jamie Kah to ride.
“We’ve been happy with her trials, but I’m just not totally convinced she’s as sharp as what she’s been in previous preps,” the Warrnambool-based trainer said.
“Whether she’s really going to need the 1400 metres to get herself back into the winner’s stall, that’s a possibility.
“But normally she would run very well under this sort of circumstance fresh. So we’ll probably get a fair idea of where we’re at off the back of Saturday’s race.
“I’d love to see her just charging at the line and being within a couple of lengths of the winner.
“If she’s anywhere within that sort of margin, we’d be saying we’re happy that she’s come back.”
Williams says the mare ‘looks terrific’ heading into her first-up assignment.
“She’s lovely and sound and we’re happy with her at home,” he said.
“But just when you’ve had a prep where you think she was probably a couple of lengths off her best, you just want to see them come out and do it on race day the next prep.”
Williams said he will likely follow a program of running Wrote To Arataki in mares’ races during the spring around the 1400-metre mark, but is unsure whether to try to stretch her out to 1600m.
