The presence of Black Caviar at Flemington wasn’t enough to force ace horseman Clarry Conners from altering autumn carnival plans for quality sprinter Satin Shoes.
“Yeah, Black Caviar,” Conners replied on Friday when asked about Satin Shoes taking on the world’s best sprinter.
The one set to extend the unbeaten winning streak to 23 while Black Caviar can also set a record in the Lightning Stakes named in her honour. No horse has won it three times and trainer Peter Moody has her primed to complete the hat-trick.
“We are in there, the owner wants to run and why not? We picked it out as we head towards the Newmarket down the Flemington straight six,” Conners said.
“We could have run in the Oakleigh Plate next week but it’ll have 16 runners, she ran in it last year and got knocked from pillar to post.
“Our aim is the Newmarket, it is a handicap and it is a beautiful race for Satin Shoes. She has come back really nice, she flew in a trial at Warwick Farm a couple of weeks ago and is ready to go.”
Satin Shoes was a $700,000 yearling purchase out of the William Inglis Sale ring. The man paying the bills is Dr Edmund Bateman who also forked out $510,000 for a youngster named Fare Well which Conners has entered in the fourth at Rosehill on Saturday.
“It will not be running,” Conners said. “She is shin sore and will go to the paddock which is disappointing because she goes very well.”
One the Conners stable will definitely be taking to Rosehill is his VRC Oaks winner of last year Dear Demi. The John Singleton home-bred hasn’t raced since winning the fillies classic and returns in the Light Fingers Stakes.
“She is great and it is good to have her back as well,” Conners said.
“She is big and strong, as big as a mountain. They’ll probably be a bit quick for her tomorrow but it is the right race to start her off in.
“She’ll then go to the Surround Stakes, the Coolmore than to the Vinery and on to the [ATC Australian] Oaks at Randwick.
“Each race is two weeks apart which is just perfect for a horse like this.”
As Connners revealed “some good horses are back in the stable” while adding “hopefully we can pluck another big race”.
Included among those is Assail which had a strangle hold on Magic Millions betting back in January only to be withdrawn on the morning of the race.
“We had to cut a fair bit of the hoof wall away but it is growing,” Conners said and the Golden Slipper is not off the radar.
“It is a race against time but you’ve got to have hope, I live in Hope street, I live in hope.”
By Craig Young
