Cradle Me, Denmagic lead Pfieffer charge
As much as David Pfieffer is resigned to losing an old favourite, the young trainer might already have another stable star in waiting if results go his way at Hawkesbury.
With Jason Collett doing the riding, both horses will carry Pfieffer’s hopes for a stakes double at the provincial racetrack on Saturday.
They are the prolific-winning mare Cradle Me in the Godolphin Crown and her heir apparent in the Warwick Farm stable, the luckless filly Denmagic who runs in the Hawkesbury Guineas.
Cradle Me has been a mainstay of Pfieffer’s stable for four-and-a-half years, winning 10 races and more than $500,000 in prize money.
She was an inexpensive horse, costing $28,000 from a ready-to-run sale.
And while her contribution to Pfieffer’s career has been significant, the trainer admits he is preparing to say a possible goodbye with the mare entered for the Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale.
“She’s been a great horse for me,” Pfieffer said.
“I hate to give up a good horse but I think nature is going to take its course very soon.”
Cradle Me will be having just her second start at Hawkesbury – four years after her first.
Hawkesbury is a different track these days after a reconfiguration, but Pfieffer says nothing much has changed with Cradle Me.
“She’s always had a big turn of speed and she’s still got it,” he said.
Cradle Me will need to be at her sharpest once more to overcome a wide draw in the Crown, a Group Three race for fillies and mares.
Denmagic is half the age of Cradle Me and she is being spruiked as the horse who can knock off the favourites Handfast and Spill The Beans in the Guineas.
She goes into the race with Pfieffer ruing a missed opportunity during one of the Sydney autumn carnival’s premier meetings.
“We picked out the JHB Carr Stakes after she won at Canterbury a few months ago,” Pfieffer said.
“We were aiming there in the hope that on a Championships day there would be a full field with good tempo in the race but it didn’t work out.”
Denmagic found the line better than any runner when fifth to Yattarna to underline her Hawkesbury claims.
“I just want a truly run race at Hawkesbury where everything is going to get its chance and I’m sure she will show her best if she gets a clear run,” Pfieffer said.
Meantime, Strawberry Boy has firmed to favouritism to win the Hawkesbury Gold Cup.