Team Bond Girl ready for revenge in G3 Queen Cup
Thursday, 25 July, 2024 13:34
Bond Girl at Sapporo Racecourse
The counterattack begins in the G3 Queen Stakes. Bond Girl, aiming to bounce back from a 17th place finish in the G1 NHK Mile Cup, trained vigorously on the dirt track at Sapporo Racecourse on the 24th, clocking 70.1 seconds for 5 furlongs, with splits of 39.1 seconds and 12.1 seconds. Rider Hiratsuka was satisfied, stating, "Two weeks ago and a week ago she was a bit too keen, so this final workout was just right. The goal was to make her run comfortably, and she settled well."
The disappointing performance in her first G1 attempt can be disregarded as she was hampered in the final stretch. Jockey Yutaka Take reflected, "The interference in the last race meant she couldn't compete at all. She still had some running left, so it would have been interesting without the interference."
In this reset race, she faces older horses for the first time but carries a lightweight of 51kg, which is an appealing factor. This will be the first time in about six years that Take will race at 51kg since the 2018 2 Win Class Kunitachi Tokubetsu. Take commented, "She has forward momentum but doesn't pull too hard, and she's a tough horse. The conditions seem favourable," showing his determination. With two second-place finishes in graded stakes, this talented filly aims to secure her first G3 title and achieve greater success.
The disappointing performance in her first G1 attempt can be disregarded as she was hampered in the final stretch. Jockey Yutaka Take reflected, "The interference in the last race meant she couldn't compete at all. She still had some running left, so it would have been interesting without the interference."
In this reset race, she faces older horses for the first time but carries a lightweight of 51kg, which is an appealing factor. This will be the first time in about six years that Take will race at 51kg since the 2018 2 Win Class Kunitachi Tokubetsu. Take commented, "She has forward momentum but doesn't pull too hard, and she's a tough horse. The conditions seem favourable," showing his determination. With two second-place finishes in graded stakes, this talented filly aims to secure her first G3 title and achieve greater success.
Article Creds:Daily Sports