Biding Time

The Informant's Dennis Ryan writes:

Jason Bridgman is backing himself and leading stable member Abidewithme in deciding to head direct to next week's 2040-metre Livamol Classic with just one preparatory race under the mare's belt.

The Matamata trainer was forced into that position when Abidewithme failed to clear the ballot box for last Saturday's Gr. 1 Windsor Park Plate, but is not letting any lack or race fitness dent his confidence. The Redoute's Choice-Crimson mare had flagged her spring prospects with a bold fresh-up fourth in the Gr. 1 Makfi Challenge Stakes, but her rating of 96 was insufficient to secure a start in the second leg of the Hawke's Bay triple crown.

Knowing that Abidewithme was in danger of missing the cut, Bridgman entered her for Saturday's Listed Westbury Stud Karaka Classic at Te Aroha on Saturday, but a heavy track put paid to that option.

“Missing the Windsor Park wasn't part of the plan but I'm happy with her,” Bridgman said after Abidewithme had got through a tidy piece of striding work at Matamata this morning. “She was up to the mark for 1600 metres on the weekend and I'm confident I can have her ready to step up to the middle-distance next week.”

The Sir Patrick and Lady Hogan-owned five-year-old, who is safe at twelfth in the Livamol startng order, has won six of her 13 starts, including the Listed Anniversary Handicap over 1600 metres at Trentham in January. Her unplaced efforts include the only three times she has raced beyond 1600 metres - the Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic and New Zealand Oaks as a three-year-old and the Travis Stakes in her final start last season.

Nor does that statistic concern her trainer, who describes the bay as a far more mature prospect now. “I'm confident she'll manage the trip this time round,” says Bridgman. “She can go to Taupo later in the week for a decent hitout and provided the weather improves and we get some decent tracks, her training next week should take care of the rest of it.”

After her Makfi fourth Abidewithme was as short as $8 leading into the Windsor Park Plate, but punters have since shied away, letting her blow out to $26 in the Livamol Classic market as they concentrate on single-figure fancies Puccini ($2.60), Soriano ($6), Nashville and Pure Champion ($9).

Bridgman will also include last year's New Zealand 1000 Guineas winner Costa Viva in his Taupo payload as she builds towards the Gr. 3 Rich Hill Stud Taranaki Breeders' Stakes at Hawera on October 11. Heavy tracks have held her back, with the latest instance today's Avondale trials which were on her agenda, but Bridgman remains pleased with her progress.

Abidewithme and Costa Viva scored their first black-type wins as spring three-year-olds in the same race, the Listed Ray Coupland Stakes at Ashburton, and their trainer will attempt a hat-trick in the October 18 feature with Saturday's NZ Bloodstock Canterbury Belle Stakes winner Darci's Dream.

Off the back of a fresh-up win at Taupo in late August, the Darci Braham filly won well at Riccarton, putting her on the second line at $10 for the NZ Bloodstock 1000 Guineas behind Saturday's impressive Gold Trail Stakes winner O'Marilyn at $4.