Sofia Rosa could give Memsie lot real shock
KIWI trainer Steven Marsh will not be surprised if his fouryear-old mare Sofia Rosa upsets the higher-profile horses in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield today.
“She’s forward enough in condition to win. She’s quite a clean-winded mare and she’s much stronger this time in,” he said.
Marsh said you only needed to look at Sofia Rosa’s form to know that she knew where the winning post was located.
He pointed out from her past six starts she’s been first past the post five times and she fell on the other occasion.
Marsh said in one of those races, the New Zealand Oaks, she lost the race on protest which was “probably deserved” as Sofia Rose had run around a bit in the closing stages.
Sofia Rosa is having her first start since winning the Australian Oaks at Randwick last April. Marsh decided to bring Sofia Rosa across to Australia 10 days ago rather than make a rushed trip.
He then gave her an 800m jump-out at Flemington where she finished third behind Tom Melbourne two days after she arrived in Australia.
“She pulled up really well from that. She travelled over really well,” he said.
Sofia Rosa has only 10 starts for five wins and two placings. She failed in two runs in Australia last spring but Marsh said she was physically weak.
Sofia Rosa has firmed from $17 to $14 for the 1400m Memsie today. She is also $21 for the Caulfield Cup.
Marsh said Sofia Rosa was being set for the Caulfield Cup.
After today, Sofia Rosa will run in the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington. Michael Walker rode Sofia Rosa in the jumpout and will ride her today.