Dixie faces big ask
Quinton’s mare must defy history to claim the Coolmore
DIXIE Blossoms needs to equal the feats of champion mares Emancipation and Sunline to win the Group 1 $600,000 Coolmore Classic at Rosehill today.
The Coolmore Classic (1500m) was first run in 1973 and in the years since, the only winners to sport the No.1 saddlecloth were Emancipation and Sunline.
Emancipation, ridden by Dixie Blossoms’ trainer Ron Quinton, won the 1984 Coolmore Classic carrying maximum topweight of 60kg. Sunline won the race twice in 2000 and 2002 also shouldering 60kg.
Dixie Blossoms is burdened with 57.5kg today, an impost no other mare in the race’s history has been able to carry successfully.
The next highest carried to win a Coolmore was 57kg from Steps In Time in 2014.
To compound Quinton’s concerns, Dixie Blossoms has never won a race at Rosehill in seven previous attempts.
Hall of Famer Quinton was nonplussed when informed of the weight of history
against Dixie Blossoms and stablemate Daysee Doom (57kg).
“They are not statistics you want to hear,’’ Quinton said.
“But Dixie is in winning form, so is Daysee, they are both very genuine, competitive mares and it will come down to luck in running.’’
Dixie Blossoms is third favourite at $7.50 in Ladbrokes’ market and stablemate Daysee Doom is rated a $12 chance behind the Chris Waller-trained Egg Tart at $6 favourite.
Quinton, who has won four Coolmores, twice as a jockey on Miss Personality (1973) and Emancipation, and also as a trainer with Ofcourseican (2012) and Peeping (2016), believes Dixie Blossoms’ winless record at Rosehill is due to bad luck in running rather than any aversion to the track.
“She had a horrid run in the Coolmore last year and I thought she should have just about won the Emancipation Stakes at her next start,’’ the trainer said.
“I don’t think the track is an issue. She just needs things to go her way in the race.’’
Dixie Blossoms has drawn well in gate four while stablemate Daysee Doom is out in 14. The mares have met six times previously, with the honours evenly shared.