Kent confident of Abbey Marie upset
AS Oregon’s Day continues to firm for the Doomben Cup, rival trainer Mick Kent only needs to look at the replay of her previous run in Sydney to know his mare Abbey Marie is right in the game on Saturday.
Abbey Marie is set to bow out of racing in the Doomben Cup, as she is catalogued for the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale this month.
She has not won since the Group 1 Schweppes Oaks in Adelaide two years ago but Kent believes there’s been numerous times where she should have snapped the losing streak, including her last start fifth in the Coolmore Legacy.
In that race Oregon’s Day ran fourth but there’s little doubt Abbey Marie should have beaten her home.
“I think she should have figured last time,’’ Kent said.
“We just wanted to get to the outside.
‘‘She jumped well, then got stuck inside horses, then got squeezed up and went to the line untested.’’
Abbey Marie missed the Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast on May 5 with “a little bit of a foot issue” but trialled two days later at Murwillumbah, where she wasn’t asked to do a lot behind Don’tbabylon.
Kent insists missing the Hollindale is “no deal at all” and there will be no issues with fitness come Saturday. “She’s fine,’’ he said.
‘‘She was seven weeks into her last run and I like her fresh anyway.’’
Early in the week, Kent feared Abbey Marie would miss the Cup ballot and had not booked a jockey.
When it became apparent she would secure a run, he took on some local advice and booked Matt McGillivray for his first Group 1 ride.
“(Queensland jockeys representative) Glen Prentice put this kid forward,’’ Kent said.
‘‘I watched him ride last week and he rides that track well. I think it’s important to know that track.
‘‘I’ve got no qualms there.’’ The Doomben Cup was reduced to a field of 12, with James Cummings revealing yesterday afternoon that last year’s Doncaster winner It’s Somewhat has a temperature and will not run in the race.
Abbey Marie’s stablemate Supido is scheduled to trial at the Gold Coast this morning in a hitout that will determine the future of his winter campaign.
“Supido jarred up fairly badly at Doomben,’’ Kent said. ‘‘We wanted some softer ground.
“We nearly went to the Goodwood but we’ve stayed in Queensland for the Kingsford Smith (Cup at Doomben on Saturday week) and the Stradbroke.
“We’ve had him down the beach the last two weeks and he looks good.”