Trainer Leon Corstens has confirmed exciting mare Commanding Jewel will not make her highly anticipated return to racing in next weekend’s featured Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm, following less-than ideal conditions at a Wangaratta barrier trial on Friday morning.
Commanding Jewel will not return from injury in the 2014 Tattersall's Tiara. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia
Hoping to put Commanding Jewel through her paces in order to gain legitimate track fitness ahead of the Group 1 feature, heavy rain at Wangaratta overnight prevented jockey Michael Rodd from putting the hammer down on the final straight.
“We can’t be guessing as to whether she is fit enough for a race like the Tatt’s Tiara,” Managing owner Brad Spicer told AAP after the trial.
“Michael Rodd looked after her in the wet conditions so she didn’t get the fitness benefit from the trial.
“The overnight rain on the track was probably the nail in the coffin for the Tatt’s Tiara.”
Plagued by injuries over her impressive racing career, Commanding Jewel has not appeared on course since comfortably claiming the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) ahead of a talented field that included Tattersall’s Tiara entrant Catkins in September last year.
Securing an impressive total of four race wins and two minor places from just seven competitive race starts so far, Commanding Jewel debuted with impressive back-to-back victories in the spring of 2012, finishing second in the Group 3 Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) and continuing to build in form and class on her way to a maiden victory at the highest level of Australian racing in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) on October 17th.
Finishing sixth amongst classy competition in the Listed Carlyon Stakes (1000m) prior to the Let’s Elope last spring, Commanding Jewel would have faced arguably her biggest test to date if entered in the 2014 Tattsall’s Tiara, with Red Tracer, Steps In Time, Driefontein and Cosmic Endeavour amongst the names likely to accept.
While confirmed to avoid wet tracks throughout spring, Commanding Jewel is likely to defend her Let’s Elope Stakes crown in the early stages of spring.
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