Charlotte Littlefield has not been deterred by Regal Vow’s forgettable Black Type debut and will give the mare another chance in Stakes grade this Thursday.
The five-year-old daughter of Swear will take on the boys in the $175,000 Listed Lord Stakes on Caulfield’s Heath tack.
The 1600-metre event will be her first start since her eighth placing in the Group 3 Summoned Stakes on November 30, which was won by Rumbled Again, but Littlefield said there were multiple valid reasons behind that below-par showing on the Heavy 8 track.
“It went very heavy that day and she actually slipped coming out of the barriers and never travelled in the run on the wrong part of the track,” Littlefield said.
“She also pulled a muscle. We’ve had (equine chiropractor) Brendan McCarthy go over her, and our vet as well, and we’re all back on track.
“So, she didn’t really get her chance there, which was a shame going out as favourite.
“I’m excited to see her back on a firmer deck and I can’t fault her, so I think we’re going in with a really good chance.”
Regal Vow won over 1400m at Caulfield the start before the Summoned Stakes, which was one of five wins from 15 starts.
Her only other run this campaign was a first-up third over 1200m when, like at her past two starts, she was ridden by Beau Mertens, but she gains the services of Craig Williams from barrier two in the nine-horse Lord Stakes.
“Barrier two is obviously not ideal for a horse that gets back and runs on, but at the same time she won’t have to do much work, she can let her a few go around her, and as long as he stays off the fence (it should be OK),” she said.
Regal Vow holds down the $5.50 third line in Lord Stakes betting, behind Wodonga and Werribee Cups winer Riot And Rose ($2.60, barrier seven) and Marble Arch ($4.80, barrier one).
Littlefield and Williams combined to win last Saturday’s $175,000 VOBIS Gold Bullion (1400m) with Modown and the way he has come through that run has convinced the Pakenham trainer to push on for a sixth run of the campaign.
“I took him to the beach this morning and he was very fresh, so I think he’s come on from that run, which is exciting,” Littlefield said on Monday morning.
“We were at the crossroads, thinking do we pull the pjn or do we find something else for him, so I think we’re probably going to go with the latter, probably in about three weeks’ time staying at the 1400m.”
