Country trainer Jenny Graham won’t know until close to acceptance time if her stable’s run of juvenile winners has a chance to continue in Sydney this week.
Two-year-old fillies Alcancia and Leviosa have delivered feature race success for the Port Macquarie trainer at major NSW carnivals and both will be given city tests before the end of the season.
But first Alcancia must convince Graham she has recovered from a minor leg knock to take her place in the Rosebud Qualifier for fillies at Warwick Farm on Saturday.
Alcancia made a name for herself with a fleet-footed Inglis Challenge victory during the Scone Cup carnival.
A $6,500 yearling purchase, Alcancia enjoyed a three-week break after her Scone triumph and her return had been incident-free until this week.
“I’ve got her leg wrapped up at the moment … she’s knocked it playing around in her box,” Graham said.
“At this stage she’s borderline (to race on Saturday) but if everything goes to plan I’m hopeful she will be there.”
Graham said Alcancia deserved a chance at city racing on the strength of her bush form.
“I wasn’t surprised she won at Scone but I suppose she caught me a bit off guard with the way she accelerated to win,” Graham said.
Robert Thompson has been booked to continue his association with the filly after winning on her at Grafton and Scone.
Stablemate Leviosa will be given her city examination in a $100,000 bonus race at Rosehill on July 30.
Leviosa thumped her opposition in the Two-Year-Old Plate at Grafton last week to maintain a perfect record of three wins from as many starts.
“All along I thought both horses were going as well as each other,” Graham said.
“Alcancia was set for Scone and we always had the Grafton race in mind for Leviosa.
“The better-class races in Sydney are obviously going to be harder for them but you don’t know if you don’t try.”
Alcancia is one of 20 nominations for Saturday’s race with entries headed by Gerald Ryan’s Magic Millions placegetter Schiffer.
Schiffer, a Randwick winner before finishing third to Karuta Queen in the Magic Millions, is a recent Hawkesbury barrier trial winner.
She is the 58.5kg topweight on Saturday ahead of Al’s Magic Miss and Helping Hand on 56kg.
The Australian Turf Club on Tuesday received a further seven nominations for the colts and geldings Rosebud Qualifier, doubling the entry to 14.
Canonbury Stakes winner Diamond To Pegasus heads the weights with 57.5kg.
AAP TURF