Our Abbadean ready for black type success

Our Abbadean is back in winning form. PIC: Racing Photos.

Co-trainer Stephen Autridge believes capable mare Our Abbadean is back to her best and is ready for a black-type assignment.

Autridge and training partner Jamie Richards sent the Lookin At Lucky five-year-old south from their Matamata base on Saturday to contest the open 2100m event at Trentham and she didn’t disappoint with a gritty victory.

Handled confidently by Samantha Wynne, Our Abbadean dominated her four rivals with a front running display that saw her shake off all challenges to record her fifth win from just 21 starts. It was the mare’s second victory from just the two starts over a middle distance which is where Autridge believes her future lies.

“I said in a radio interview on Friday that I thought she was just about back to her best and so it proved,” said Autridge.

“She usually takes one or two runs to hit her peak and her work had been good leading into Saturday, so we were confident she could run well.

“It was a good win as they took her on in the middle stages, but Sam didn’t panic and in the end she was too tough for them.

“Sam has had a handful of rides for us in the South but I think this is her first winner so that was a good result as well.”

Autridge will now look for a stakes assignment for the mare with the Gr.2 Travis Stakes (2000m) an option in late April.

“We’ll sit down and take a look at where we can get some black-type for her as that is our main goal,” he said.

“The Travis Stakes appeals as an option but there may be something else before then as that is still a few weeks away.”

Autridge also reported the stable’s two-year-old stars Sword Of Osman and Avantage, who quinellaed the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie on Saturday, had pulled up well after their weekend exertions.

“They both seem in good shape although we will know more after we trot them up on Monday,” he said.

“It was a great result for the stable and now we have the task of working out where we go next with both of them.

“There have been some preliminary discussions about both our local and Australian options, but we will meet on Tuesday and see how they have come through the race before anything more is decided.”

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