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Date: May 06 2012
PAT CAREY'S touch with stayers continued when Dame Claire scored an upset win at Flemington and set up a start in the Andrew Ramsden Stakes in a fortnight.
The Mornington trainer's career highlights have all involved stayers including Ethiopia (2012 Australian Derby), Cedarberg (2011 The BMW) and Arapaho Miss (2007 Victoria Oaks).
Yesterday Carey notified Racing Victoria stewards of a change of tactics with Dame Claire - to attempt to have the four-year-old mare ridden more forward in the Schweppes Plate (2800m) - with pleasing results.
Ridden by Peter Mertens, Dame Claire, eased from $13 to start at $20 but outstayed rivals, scoring by 2¾ lengths from $1.40 favourite Almodovar with High Kingczar ($18) a half length away third.
''She's been really frustrating. She hasn't been beginning and she's got a few traits that we've had to sort out but she applied herself up on the pace today,'' Carey said. ''She's been walking out of the gates and hasn't been able to put herself there. Peter was able to ride her effectively today and she was very good when she got up against the rail.''
Carey said Dame Claire would be worth a lot of money as a broodmare as she is from the same family as the English One Thousand Guineas winner Cape Verdi.
She is from the unraced Kaldoun mare Lovely Actress who is a half-sister to Cape Verdi.
''She's a Danehill Dancer filly from a very good family and a city win at Flemington will do [Dame Claire] a world of good,'' he said.
Mertens was confident after winning the group 1 Australasian Oaks in Adelaide aboard Invest.
''Pat's probably one of the up and coming staying trainers around at the moment. Look at his record,'' Mertens said. ''… if she [Dame Claire] gets a similar run as today with the cut in the ground she'll be hard to beat [in the Ramsden].''
The listed Andrew Ramsden Stakes (3200m) will be run at Flemington on May 19.
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