Trainer John Sadler has the Gr.2 Adelaide Cup (3200m) in mind as a potential target for Tarvue after her tenacious victory in the A$130,000 Off The Track Trophy (1800m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Sadler has always had plenty of time for Tarvue, and the Tarzino mare repaid some of that faith with the fourth and most significant victory of her 16-race career.
“I’ve always had a good opinion of her,” Sadler said. “We just haven’t seen the best of her on the racetrack until now. She’s had a few niggling issues.
“But she’s a good staying mare who can go a lot further than this, and hopefully we start to see that down the track.
“She’s always shown really good ability and it was terrific to see her put it all together today.”
Despite heading into Saturday on the back of a solid second at Cranbourne on December 27, Tarvue was sent out as a $13 outsider for the Benchmark 78 contest. But jockey Luke Cartwright put the pressure on a long way from home and Tarvue’s stamina and fighting qualities shone through as she swept to victory by a length and a quarter.
“I was talking to ‘Sads’ (Sadler), who was very confident,” Cartwright said. “He just told me to roll the dice and go forward. She had no weight on her back.
“She’s a bit one-paced, but he wanted me to make it a true 1800m race and give them something to run down.
“She proved too good today. I think that’s definitely one of her best efforts on a racetrack.
“She took a while to get into gear when I first went for her, but then I had them all off the bit and chasing.
“I really felt her lower in her action and just be very gritty in the late stages. She held them all off and deserved the win.”
The victory has given Sadler the confidence to continue along a path towards a potential tilt at the Adelaide Cup at Morphettville on March 10.
“She likes to flow, and that’s why Luke served it up to the leader a bit earlier than usual,” Sadler said. “He knew that she’s not the sort of mare that can quicken off a slow pace, so she has to do it herself.
“We’ll probably bring her back in a week or two and give her another run now. I’d like to try her over 2500m and see how she goes. There’s a Benchmark 78 over that distance here next week. It could be a chance to see if we’d be wasting our time aiming at a race like an Adelaide Cup.”
Tarvue was bred by Rosemont Stud and is by Westbury Stud’s Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m) and Rosehill Guineas (2000m) winner Tarzino, who has quickly made his name as a sire of classic horses – such as Derby winners Jungle Magnate and Willydoit and Oaks winner Gypsy Goddess – but has also been represented by this season’s Group One-performed sprinter Tomodachi.
The dam of Tarvue is the Japanese-bred Admire Moon mare Vamoose, a half-sister to the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) winner Admire Rakti.
Mapperley Stud offered Tarvue in Book 1 of Karaka 2022, where Vue International Pty Ltd bought her for $25,000. Tarvue’s 16-start career has produced four wins, two placings and A$168,800 in stakes. – NZ Racing Desk.
