Unrocel Saint Melbourne Bound

Tuesday, 01 October 2002 00:00

Promising mare Unrocel Saint will open her spring account at Flemington on Monday.

Strathalbyn trainer Mark Minervini has been patiently waiting for the right race for the lightly-raced mare, and has selected a restricted event down the 1000m straight.

Unrocel Saint, who has a win and a second placing from just two starts, has been in Melbourne for almost a month and is primed to run well.

"I was going to run her a couple of weeks ago, but she didn’t travel over as well as expected," Minervini said. "Then I was going to run her last weekend at Sandown but there was a fair bit of rain the night before so I kept her for another day. She was entered for the Jayco Stakes at Flemington this Saturday but I decided upon the easier option on Monday.

"She easily won an 800m jump-out here at Caulfield this morning and is going along really well."

The mare, a daughter of Super Imposer's half-sister Pheroz Fantasy by Last Tycoon, had punters scrambling for their black books after an amazing debut win at Cheltenham Park in April.

Approaching the corner, Unrocel Saint was a clear last and more than a dozen lengths from the lead but sprouted wings to score strongly. Given the last 600m of the race was run in 33.40 seconds, her sectionals were indicative of a good horse in the making.

"She produced a devastating finish on debut – something only good horses do," Minervini said. "We’ve been pretty patient with her and I’d rate her one of the better horses I’ve trained. She’s up to stakes grade for sure."

After Monday’s assignment, Minervini will run the mare in the Group 3 Tristarc Stakes (1400m) for mares on Caulfield Cup day (October 19).

"I think she’s a sprinter/miler, so that looks a suitable target for her," Minervini said. "I’m just not sure after that. You have to play it by ear a bit with the Last Tycoon’s to work out if they are going to get a bit of ground. If she measures up, we’ll look at a mile race at Flemington in Cup week, if not, we’ll find an easier sprint somewhere."

Unrocel Saint, raced by a well-known South Australian racing family – the Le Cornu’s – will be ridden by Damien Oliver on Monday.

Stablemate Savage Attack has pulled up well after finishing second to Super Impressive at Caulfield on Sunday and will back up at Flemington this weekend.

The consistent gelding, already a stakes winner at the track, will be having his third run in three weeks but is thriving, according to the stable.

"He went close on Sunday but, at the end of the day, I think Damien Oliver on the winner was the difference," Minervini said. "I know he’s having his third run in as many weeks but I think the first two runs have only just topped him off. He’s absolutely thriving over here and will run in the Gilgai Stakes (1200m) up the straight this weekend."

Savage Attack won the Listed Creswick Stakes over the same course and distance in June. He will be ridden by Andrew Findlay, who has been riding trackwork for Minervini.

Media Release - Jason Hickson (TRSA)