A Career With Decorum

Friday, 24 September 2010 02:23

Connections of With Decorum, one of Tasmania's most consistent mares, will be looking for a fairytale finish to the seven-year-old's career in the $70,000 Programmed Property Services Handicap (1600m) at Moonee Valley tonight.

On a night that will see the launch of Moonee Valley's Night Racing season and the running of the $500,000 Group One Manikato Stakes, With Decorum will run for the 45th time in an attempt to win her 12th race.

Trainer John Blacker is expecting his charge to be very hard to beat and is confident that everything is in place for her to finish on a high note.

"She is racing well and although she has a big weight tonight I expect her to be very hard to beat," said Blacker.

"Craig (Newitt) won a Devonport Cup on her in 2009 and knows her well, so although it would've been nice to claim a bit of weight off her back I am happy to have Craig in the saddle.

Blacker believes that despite the mare's outstanding record up to 1400m, which accounts for eight of her 11 wins, the 1600m trip is her ideal distance given a true tempo.

"I have always seen her as a miler," said Blacker.

"Many horses from Tasmania improve when they come to Victoria because of the truly run races as it allows them to travel more comfortably and work into a race.

"Many of her Tasmanian runs over ground have been stop start affairs which have brought her undone," he added.

Blacker is also firmly of the opinion that Tasmania's open-class horses can hold their own in Victoria, citing With Decorum's preparation to date.

"This mare was comfortably beaten at her first two runs in Tasmania this preparation before narrowly going down to Milochello.  Since coming to Victoria she may have dropped marginally in weight, but she has been able to win at Saturday Metropolitan class and finished thereabouts at Group Two level," said Blacker.

"Which takes me back to my previous point regarding truly run races, that is the only thing missing at Tasmania's elite level."

Although no decision has been made Blacker is expecting connections to retire the mare to Coolmore Stud following tonight's race.

"It could be her last run tonight, in fact I expect it will be," said Blacker.

"We are hoping for the fairytale finish and looking at how the race will pan out I think we will be in the right spot."

With Decorum has won in every racing season and during every preparation since beginning her career in 2007, a statistic that is testament to a terrific training effort by Blacker and his Longford team.

Photos by Quentin J Lang