Champion jockey Glen Boss will partner the Brent Stanley-trained Casadiva in the Sweet Embrace Stakes on Saturday on way to a possible Golden Slipper 2018 ride next-up.
Dual Golden Slipper winning hoop Glen Boss rides Casadiva in Saturday’s 2018 Sweet Embrace Stakes field at Royal Randwick. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
The now Singapore-based Boss is back in Sydney on the weekend and has just the one remaining mount on Royal Randwick’s Chipping Norton Stakes Day card.
He was originally engaged to partner Chris Waller’s dual Oaks winner Egg Tart in the Group 2 $200,000 Guy Walter Stakes (1400m) before her withdrawal from the field.
His sole chance of an early autumn victory now lies in lightly-raced Fastnet Rock filly Casadiva who has her second career start in the Group 2 $200,000 Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m).
Drawn a treat in barrier two and facing 13 rivals, the up-and-coming bay comes off a winning debut when ridden to a one and three-quarter length victory over 1100m at Bendigo on February 17 by Ryan Maloney.
For Saturday’s Group 2 test, Sutton Grange-based horseman Stanley has engaged the services of champion hoop Boss who took note of Casadiva’s impressive debut.
The form of that two-years-old fillies’ maiden race was subsequently franked with the runner-up Aristocratic Miss luckless to finish sixth behind Written By in last weekend’s Group 1 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m).
“I had seen the race [at Bendigo] and it sort of looked impressive and I spoke to a few people and they said it rated pretty high that race,” Boss told Racing Victoria from Singapore on Thursday.
“There’s obviously a little bit of form out the race as she beat a horse that should have run a placing in the Blue Diamond.
“She’s a well-bred filly with a good physique and they paid big money for her and they’re having a throw at the stumps as you should with a filly like her.”
Stanley is hoping to have Casadiva qualify for a shot at the world’s richest race for juveniles with a start in the Group 1 $3.5 million Longines Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 24 calling.
Boss has ridden two previous Golden Slipper Stakes winners with Flying Spur (1995) and Sebring (2008) so looks well qualified to ride the well-bred Casadiva, an expensive $1.15 million buy for connections, this weekend.
“She got good breeding and she’s a good type of filly that’s got residual value as a broodmare,” Stanley said.
“Hopefully, she can win a couple of big races and pay for herself easily.
“I just thought if she can’t win the Sweet Embrace, she can’t win the Slipper so it’s up to her to earn her spot.”
The latest Sweet Embrace Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au have the Waller-trained Widden Stakes winner Fiesta and Peter & Paul Snowden’s Pierro filly Satin Slipper engaged as the $4.80 co-favourites.
Casadiva meanwhile is listed as a $15 chance to score the upset and secure the ballot free ride into the Golden Slipper field in a fortnight’s time.
Futures Golden Slipper betting online also has two $4.80 co-favourites with Silver Slipper winner and runner-up Sunlight and Estijaab tipped as the two-year-olds to beat.
Casadiva meanwhile is only rated a $101 roughie to make the field and salute.
Looking further ahead, Stanley has Casadiva tipped as a genuine miler with the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield in the spring calling.
“We weren’t expecting her to lead but as the jockey said she had a high cruising speed and her cruising speed was just faster than the opposition,” he said of her debut win.
“Her ideal time will be in six months over 1600m to 2000m.
“The Thousand Guineas will be her main goal in the spring but she can still make an impact in the autumn.”
To back Casadiva this weekend and in the early Golden Slipper 2018 odds head to Ladbrokes.com.au today.
