Adrian Bott jetted in to watch the final piece of fast work for his and Gai Waterhouse’s Thousand Guineas runners at Caulfield on Tuesday.
The Tulloch Lodge trainers made use of the opportunity for Too Darn Lizzie and Dominetta to work on the course proper four days out from the $1.5 million Group 1 and Bott was happy with what he saw.
It was not the first time Too Darn Lizzie has been to Caulfield, with that daughter of Too Darn Hot having won the Group 2 Thousand Guineas Prelude on October 19, but it was the first look at the venue for Dominetta.
The daughter of Zoustar has raced the Melbourne way, finishing third in the Group 3 The Vanity (1400m) on Derby Day, and Bott said that outing, combined with Tuesday’s excursion, should have her ready to peak in this Saturday’s 1600m event.
“She had a little bit of a look around this morning, so I think it was really good that she got here,” Bott said.
“She’s still putting her whole race-craft together, but she’s improved a lot off her last race and she’ll improve a lot for having a look around this morning.”
The start before The Vanity, Dominetta started favourite in the Group 3 Reginald Allen Quality (1400m), in which she was nabbed on the line.
The winner of that race was Aeliana, who effortlessly won the Carbine Club Stakes 40 minutes before The Vanity was run and is now clear-cut favourite for the Thousand Guineas.
Dominetta is a $15 chance in Thousand Guineas odds with Too Darn Lizzie out to $26 after her 4-1/4-length eighth in The Vanity.
Too Darn Lizzie won the Thousand Guineas Prelude by two lengths the start prior and while 1600m presents a new challenge for her, Bott considers the return to Caulfield a positive for her.
“Too Darn Lizzie has had the experience here, she won well in the Prelude and I think she enjoyed getting back here,” Bott said.
“She was as strong as anything through the line there in the Prelude and, if anything, she was pulling away on the line after making all the running and doing plenty of work.
“It’d be hard to deny her that opportunity (at 1600m) after everything she’s done and she may be ready to take that next step now.”