Roger James heads into Saturday’s Gr.1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield with low expectations for his star mare Silent Achiever, but he is confident she is in for a productive spring racing carnival.
The Cambridge trainer reported that the five-year-old had taken to Melbourne life much better than last year and he is confident of a good campaign.
“She’s never been a good eater and not a great doer, but she was probably at her worst last spring,” James said.
“By all accounts, she’s travelled well and is eating as well as she does at home, so those indications to me are very pleasing.”
Silent Achiever is one of eleven Group One winners entered for the first Group 1 race of the Australian racing season.
The unbeaten Atlantic Jewel, Melbourne Cup hero Green Moon, fellow Kiwis It’s A Dundeel and King Mufhasa, Australian Cup winner Super Cool and Fiorente are among her potential rivals.
“She’s not wound up at all,” James said. “She's still got a little bit of a winter coat and it’ll be a run to put down a foundation for future runs during the spring.
“The main aims for her are the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups. She’s going to be placed to advantage in those races, I hope, weight-wise."
Steven Arnold has been engaged to ride Silent Achiever on Saturday.
- NZ Racing Desk
