In what may be the strongest maiden we’ve seen in a month or two in Sydney, at least three fillies with spring stakes potential, along with an unraced blueblood, are slated to kick off their campaigns on the Kensington track on Wednesday, all coming off excellent trials.
Artistic Venture, Autumn Blonde and Cantiamo were all considered good enough by their strong stables to be tested in stakes grade at two and all have impressed in their trials leading into their three-year-old campaigns.
The favourite is the Kris Lees trained Cantiamo (Too Darn Hot (GB) x Valencay) resuming after just one run to date when fifth to Within The Law in the Inglis Nursery (RL) last December.
She could not have been more eye-catching in her latest trial when James McDonald travelled to Gosford for the outing and takes the ride this week.
She’s a grand-daughter of Group II winner Peruzzi, a daughter of Group I winning blue hen Diamond Lover from the Eight Carat family.
The O’Shea/Charlton trained Artistic Venture (Trapeze Artist x Secret Venture) is a $50,000 yearling buy for Tricolours Syndications and stamped her potential with a debut third in the Inglis Nursery to Rivellino before a length fifth in the G2 Sweet Embrace Stakes and 2.5 length fifth in the G3 Magic Night Stakes.
The John Sargent trained Autumn Blonde (The Autumn Sun x Tall Blonde) is another Tricolours Syndication purchase at $80,000 and, while a four-start maiden, drew plenty of attention for an unlikely two-year-old when a length fourth to Within The Law in the Group II Sweet Embrace Stakes at her third start.
And then there’s the unraced Rajwa also in the market, trained by Michael Freedman.
She’s the half-sister by I Am Invincible to Group One winning Manaal, raced by her breeders Emirates Park.
Footnote: Artistic Venture and Rajwa are race morning scratchings. Artistic Venture is nominated at Kembla Grange on Saturday and Wyong on Sunday.
