NZ HARNESS NEWS
The Juice is back.
No, not OJ Simpson – though he’s back, too – but rather high-quality Cambridge mare Juice Brogden, who resumed with an easy win in Palmerston North on Tuesday.
She was a class above her opponents in the hands of junior driver Dylan Ferguson, who kept the seat warm for his boss, trainer Nicky Chilcott.
Ordinarily a Group 1-placed horse like her would never be seen at a Manawatu meeting on Tuesday, but it was a penalty-free win given Ferguson drove her and that made it the perfect pipe-opener to her season.
“She’s probably only about 80% ‘there’,” said Chilcott.
“But I said to the owners that rather than go trial, trial, trial, that race could work out really well for her.
“It’s penalty free, it will bring her on nicely and would do way more for her than another quiet trial at Cambridge.”
Initially the race was slated for Thursday’s meeting with increased stakes of $10,000, but even when it was moved, that didn’t bother Chilcott.
“The better stake was an enticing part of it initially, but when we think about the big picture with her, I’m not too worried about the lesser stake.”
Juice Brogden proved her wares as a three-year-old last season when running second in the Northern Oaks behind Partyon, beating home subsequent Filly of the Year, Spanish Armada.
Her most recent outing was a brave fifth in the Harness Jewels at Ashburton in early June.
Chilcott says the daughter of Bettor’s Delight desperately needed a long spell after her southern campaign in the late autumn.
“She had a disappointing end to the season and clearly she wasn’t at her best in the New Zealand Oaks or at the Jewels.
“I definitely think she would have picked up another Group 1 placing had she been at her best.
“She probably needed a break after the Northern Oaks, to be fair.
“In the end she had a good 10 weeks in the paddock and did really well for it.
“She’s come back looking like a bit of a bull, really, and it’s obvious that she’s taken huge improvement from it.”
Next up is a return to Alexandra Park next Friday night before, perhaps, tilts at the $30,000 Northern Breeders Stakes on December 8 and the $100,000 Queen of Hearts on December 15.
“We’ll go next Friday at Auckland and if she performs really well and I’m happy with her, then we might have a crack at the Queen of Hearts.
“It will solely revolve around her run next week as I think it might take her a few more runs to get to 100%”
Dream About Me will be in the Queen of Hearts but Spanish Armada is retired, The Orange Agent is injured and Piccadilly Princess is in Australia, so there is definitely plenty of money to be made filling the minor placings.
“All she’d need is a good draw and she could pop to the front, take a sit and get in the money.”
Longer term, Aussie is on the cards and perhaps at tilt at feature mares’ races at Menangle in February and March, including the Ladyship Mile.
“We are definitely thinking Australia with her.
“The only thing is that her breeder and co-owner, Graham Bowen, is on the board here at Cambridge and ultimately he wants her competing there in the Jewels at the end of the season.
“So, I have to be a little bit mindful of that and making sure she earns enough money to get there.”
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