Racing
Take two for Jadzia
The Chairman’s Stakes at Caulfield will see the debut of Jadzia who was scratched from a Blue Diamond Preview last week.
A cooler day at Caulfield will see two-year-old Jadzia make her debut a week later than anticipated.
Trainer Grahame Begg elected to scratch the filly from a division of the Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) at Caulfield last Saturday with the extreme heat in the back of his mind.
With cooler temperatures on Saturday at Caulfield, Jadzia will instead line up in the Group 3 Chairman's Stakes (1000m).
"I wasn't 100 per cent happy with her on race morning last week, so I bit the bullet and pulled her out," Begg said.
"Unless they're 110 per cent right, they just can't go to the races.
"There was the option to run this Saturday, which we've taken, so it was an easy call especially with the temperature it was going to be (last week).
"It wasn't ideal to be going to the races running on a firming track on a very hot day and you don't know how they will come out of it.
"Plus, she was only coming off a nine-day turnaround from her trial at Sandown, so the extra week may be a blessing in disguise."
Jadzia will try to emulate Mildred who won the Chairman's Stakes for Begg in 2020.
Begg said Jadzia had galloped well at Cranbourne on Tuesday and was excited to see the filly at the races for the first time.
He said Jadzia had made tremendous progress since joining his stable last month.
"She didn't come to us until late as she was a Magic Millions winter yearling purchase and she was spelled and broken in up in Queensland," Begg said.
"It was December by the time we got her into the stable.
"She's a two-year-old that has put her hand up to say she's ready and we go with them if they want to be two-year-olds, but if they show they're not ready, they go out.
"So far, what she has done in her jump-out and trial, have been more than satisfactory."
Begg said he would be guided by Jadzia's performance on Saturday as to whether the filly progresses to the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 21.
"You would probably prefer to go into a race like the Blue Diamond with two runs under your belt, and that was the plan, but we'll work that out after Saturday," Begg said.
"There are other options and she is nominated in the Golden Slipper up north."
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