Tavi Bay on trial for G1 Qld Oaks start

Henry Dwyer will use a familiar race to test the Queensland Oaks credentials of Tavi Bay.

Dwyer, fresh from the second Group One win of his training career with Precious Gem, has Tavi Bay in Saturday’s The Jericho Cup in 2018 Handicap at Caulfield.

“It’s the same race we won with Sonntag two years ago and he went into it off the back of a defeat in the country,” Dwyer said.

“It was a similar purpose for him and he obviously measured up by winning that race, and then winning the Queensland Derby.

“You don’t need to be a star to run well in a Queensland Oaks or Queensland Derby.

“So if she can run top three or four on Saturday and run like she’s looking for a bit further, then it’s probably worth going to Queensland with her.”

Tavi Bay, by Tavistock who has sired the winner of the Victoria Derby, the ATC Australian Derby and the Hong Kong Derby this season, has won one of her five starts.

Sportsbet Australia

Dwyer says the cantankerous filly needs to step up from her recent third at Ballarat over 1600m.

He has applied blinkers.

“She has drawn wide but we would have gone back on her anyway,” Dwyer said.

“I thought she was pretty plain last start when we went forward on her. But I think with blinkers on and ridden back, I think she’s a better horse chasing.”

Dwyer teamed up with jockey Jake Noonan to win last Saturday’s Robert Sangster Stakes with Precious Gem.

They will be in rival camps for Saturday’s race, with Noonan aboard the Mick Price-trained Whoop Whoop who makes his city debut.

Noonan rode Whoop Whoop to a first-up over 1600m at Cranbourne in the gelding’s second start and believes he’s a horse on the way up.

“Obviously it’s a big step up but he looks pretty smart,” Noonan said.

Related Posts

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments