Serenade Rose faces tough test
Monday, 14 August 2006: Caulfield Cup favourite Serenade Rose has her first run for the new season when she resumes in Saturday's J J Liston Stakes at Caulfield.
However, trainer Lee Freedman doesn't expect her to win the Group Two 1400m feature which will be her first test at weight-for-age against all-comers.
"I wouldn't expect a lot of her at 1400 metres on Saturday," Freedman said.
"Caulfield isn't her go and it looks like it will be a big field with 14 or 15 runners."
Freedman added Serenade Rose would be better suited when she runs in the Craiglee Stakes over 1600m at Flemington on September 9.
Serenade Rose was voted the best three-year-old filly of last season with eight wins, including three at Group One level and three Group two victories, all against her own age and sex.
The daughter of Stravinsky was the dominant filly of her age in Australia winning races such as the VRC Oaks, the Arrowfield Stud Stakes and the AJC Australian Oaks.
But Freedman wants to see how she performs as a four-year-old against open company.
"She still has to do it at the next level," he said.
Steven King, who rode Serenade Rose to six wins last season, will be aboard her on Saturday.
Another of Freedman's stable stars Our Smoking Joe will also be resuming in the Liston, a race he was runner-up in last year when beaten a neck by Lad Of The Manor on a heavy track.
"It's a different surface on Saturday and I wouldn't expect him to go close this time," said Freedman who has won the Liston twice, with Mahogany (1994) and Le Zagaletta (2001).
Our Smoking Joe is yet to win at the highest level but was placed in five Group One races from 1800m to 2400m last season.
"He's a great old campaigner and is the second highest rated horse in this race behind Lad Of The Manor," Freedman said.
"He's one of those good, old horses who keep coming up."
The Encosta de Lago six-year-old will be ridden by Noel Callow who knows the gelding well having ridden him to Victory in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Flemington and the St George Stakes at Caulfield.
The Roger Hoysted-trained Lad Of The Manor, the last horse to beat the great mare Makybe Diva, will be trying for back-to-back Liston victories and will again be ridden by Greg Childs.
The Zabeel seven-year-old pleased connections with a solid solo workout over 1200m between races at Seymour on Sunday.
Among the 17 Liston nominations are Rosehill Guineas winner De Beers, Doomben Cup winner Above Deck, the unbeaten Minson, Red Dazzler, Spinney, Thin And Crispy, the imported Tawqeet, Activation and promising four-year-old Maybe Better.
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