Lady Laguna will wait a week
Trainer Annabel Neasham and OTI Racing will resist the temptation to back-up brilliant mare Lady Laguna in Saturday’s Group 1 $1m Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens, but have two more major assignments on their radar including a Doncaster Mile tilt.
Lady Laguna scored her biggest ever win last weekend when shocking The Everest winner Think About It to salute in the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Royal Randwick last Saturday.
Neasham said backing up in the Coolmore Classic had been a distinct possibility, but Lady Laguna’s maiden major success will see the stable wait another week.
A date with the Group 1 $1m George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens is the likely next target, which could pave the way for a crack at the $4m Doncaster Mile on day one of The Championships.
“She won’t go on Saturday and we will probably head to the George Ryder,” OTI Racing’s Terry Henderson confirmed.
“She pulled up extremely well but the great part about the result on Saturday, it takes the pressure off backing her up in the Coolmore Classic.
“She is not particularly well weighted in the Coolmore as a result of that and as a result the Ryder is a more acceptable race for her.
“It is more challenging but it will tell us if she is capable of getting to 1500m. And if she is, we will give the Doncaster a serious thought.”
Lady Laguna is yet to race over more than 1300m in her career but has never been racing better than she is right now. She hasn’t missed the placings in her past 12 starts.