Bobbin chasing Oaks dream with Rebel Dane’s Anphina
Edward Manifold next step in three-year-old’s spring campaign
Anphina will attempt to keep her connections’ Oaks dream alive when she contests the Edward Manifold Stakes (Gr 2, 1700m) at Flemington tomorrow and at the same time continue the stunning run of success for her, until recently, unheralded sire Rebel Dane (California Dane).
Prepared at Stawell in country Victoria by Andrew Bobbin, himself a trainer emerging from the shadows, the last-start Adelaide winner backed up her promising two-year-old season with a first-up victory across the border.
The manner of her win, a nose margin over subsequent city winner Merchant Boss (Merchant Navy) in a three-year-old Benchmark 62 (1400m), convinced Bobbin that he was on the right path with Anphina in that she’s a staying filly of promise.
“We campaigned her through the back end of winter and throughout that preparation she looked like she wanted further, so she is on an Oaks path, whether it’ll be the VRC Oaks or one after Christmas, I’m not sure yet, but we’ll give her the opportunity,” Bobbin said.
“She was 1400 metres first-up in Adelaide. It was a little bit of a surprise [she was so flat-footed] and with 200 metres to go I thought she was going to run last, but horses with a bit of ability normally know when to stick their head out at the right time and she just did that.
“It really did underscore to me that she wants a trip.”
Also the sire of this year’s Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) and leading Flight Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) contender Fireburn, Rebel Dane relocated to Widden Stud this year at a fee of $27,500 (inc GST) where he is expected to cover 150 mares.
The connection with Rebel Dane and Fireburn doesn’t end there, either, with Anphina also bred by Steve Grant and Ken Lowe, who co-bred and co-own the Gary Portelli-trained Fireburn alongside Laurel Oak Bloodstock’s Louis Mihalyka.
Linda Meech, who rode Anphina in three starts last campaign, when second, fourth and sixth at Flemington in May, June and July over 1400, 1420 and 1600 metres, returns to the saddle tomorrow.
“She’s drawn wide [13], so she’ll go back, which doesn’t really worry me because that’s her pattern, and she’ll be charging at the line,” Bobbin said.
“If it all goes to plan, we’ll step her out to 2000 metres two weeks later at Caulfield [in the Ethereal Stakes].
“We’ll just go step by step, but I think she’s going to be most effective at 2000 metres, so the obvious path is the Wakeful and then the Oaks after that, but we’ll learn more about her this weekend.”
“If we tick that box, then we’ll make a few decisions after the Ethereal on Caulfield Cup day.”
Bobbin was planning to run Sandual, a first crop son of Aquis Farm’s Santos (I Am Invincible), run in the Maribyrnong Trial Stakes (Listed, 1000m) after two encouraging jump–outs at Donald and Flemington respectively, but the trainer yesterday made the call to scratch him from the race after the colt was found to be suffering from a skin infection.
Last night, Bobbin reported that Sandual should be back to full health in time to run in next week’s Debutant Stakes (Listed, 1000m) at Caulfield.
“He’s not big and he’s not small. He’s an athletic type who everything we’ve thrown at him he’s handled,” Bobbin said prior to delaying the debut.
“He had a nice trial up the straight last Thursday at Flemington, finishing second. He’ll take plenty of experience from that.
“The other horses just quickened on him at the 200 metres, he just took a little stride or two to get into the swing of things but he finished off nicely to finish second.
“At Donald, one of the other horses was the [Tony and Calvin] McEvoy horse [Mount Olympus], who is in the race also, and they finished on equal terms up at Donald and he also trialled very well at Flemington last Thursday.
“With these two-year-olds, I find that they improve with everything they do … but I expect him to be better next preparation.”
Sandual was purchased by Bobbin for $45,000 from this year’s Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale. He is the first named foal out of Dualist (Choisir), an unraced half-sister to stakes winner and five-time Group 1-placed mare Fundamentalist (Not A Single Doubt).
“And if you go to the other side [of his pedigree], I Am Invincible is his grand sire, so he’s certainly got a bit in his favour,” he said.
Bobbin also reported that Ocean Beyond (Ocean Park), a winner of the Straight Six (Listed, 1200m) at Flemington in May, was nearing a return to the races.
“He’ll resume on the 8th, there’s a 1200-metre open handicap there at Caulfield, and he’ll follow the handicap sprint programme through the spring carnival,” he said.