O'Brien team thinning out but Glam still looks good
Story By Jason Hickson
Friday, 15 February 2008: Amazingly, O'Brien will have only one runner engaged at Moonee Valley tomorrow when Absolut Glam tackles the Group 2 Hollylodge Thoroughbred Classic (1500m).
O'Brien had a good line-up of three-year-olds over the spring who were expected to go on later in the season but he has so far lost Purrealist, again, with a suspensory injury and more recently Barbaricus chipped a joint in the Debonair Stakes.
Derby hopeful Villian was to have run this weekend but he has had a cold and may return next week at Caulfield.
Although numbers are very thin on the ground tomorrow O'Brien is confident he can return home a winner with Absolut Glam.
“I thought her first-up win was very good, she's trained on well and this is the right sort of race for her second-up,” O'Brien said.
“She raced really well in the spring and had little luck in at least two races, but she's come back a stronger and better filly.
“She's got good acceleration, good tactical speed at the end of her races and as long as she gets a good run you'd expect she'd be in the finish.”
The filly resumed over 1200m in the Listed Kevin Hayes Stakes at Caulfield where she ran on from the tail to score an impressive win over Tranquility Base.
The extra ground tomorrow is in her favour and the filly is currently the $2.90 favourite ahead of Princess Gisella at $4.80.
Meanwhile, Barbaricus is expected to be out until the spring, while connections will discuss the future of Purrealist who may well have run his last race and stand at stud in the new season.
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