Warrnambool trainer Daniel Bowman is hoping to use a recently introduced Summer Sprint Series to his advantage with lightly raced mare Capriccio.
Already with a nice bank roll after eight starts that has netted Capriccio two victories, Bowman is chasing an important ‘black type’ win for the daughter of I Am Invincible.
Capriccio kicks off her campaign on Saturday in the Listed Kensington Stakes (1000m) at Flemington.
The Kensington Stakes forms part of a four-race series with $1 million prize money that continues with the Listed Christmas Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on Boxing Day, the Group 3 Standish Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on January 15 and the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) at The Valley two weeks later.
The winner of the Christmas Stakes earns a ballot exemption for the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield in February while the winners of the Standish and Australia Stakes gain a start in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington in March.
Bowman chose the Kensington Stakes as the starting point because of Capriccio’s liking for the straight.
Capriccio won the Inglis Dash (1100m) at Flemington in March and finished third in the Listed Creswick Stakes (1200m) in June.
Her only other performance on the straight track resulted in Capriccio finishing sixth, against older horses, in the Listed Straight Six (1200m) in May.
“She was probably unlucky not to win the Creswick Stakes before she had a break,” Bowman said.
“It was a concerted effort to give her a break and target a couple of these sprint races over summer.
“She goes really well fresh, and she goes really well down the straight, so she’ll kick off on Saturday in the Kensington Stakes and all going well she’ll go to the Standish.
“After that we’ll play it by ear, whether we give her a third run or whether we give her a little freshen and get her ready for something like the Sangster in Adelaide.”
Capriccio is one of 19 nominations for Saturday’s race that also includes Halvorsen, Sartorial Splendor and Mileva.