Kelvin Southey doesn’t regret holding Bazaball Rewarded back from city racing until this campaign, but he’s glad she is now getting the chance to prove she’s up to it.
The four-year-old’s only three runs this year have been at Caulfield, resulting in wins either side of a fifth placing in the Listed Bel Esprit Stakes.
Bazaball Rewarded returns to Caulfield this Saturday for the $130,000 Sportsbet More Places BM84 Handicap (1100m).
Mornington-based Southey kept the daughter of Reward For Effort to her home track last campaign, where she was crowned the Mornington Marvel, an award that carried a $100,000 prize.
It was a lure too big to ignore for Southey and he said the extra grounding in lower grade might have even assisted her.
“I would have brought her to town earlier, but that was a bit of a carrot there,” Southey said.
“She ran a track record at Mornington, so she’s obviously got some gears and then the two wins at Caulfield have been really good and this prep I think she’s improved.”
Bazaball Rewarded won five of six starts at Mornington last preparation with the only defeat coming at her only run beyond 1000m, when fourth in a 1200m BM66 won by Recon.
Her two wins this time in have come at 1000m and while the Bel Esprit Stakes was over 1100m, Southey said there was merit to that run is adamant she is more than just a five-furlong flyer.
“I thought she was unlucky in the Bel Esprit, so far as they just ran a bit quick early and then she still sprinted well at the top of the straight, but just probably in the wrong part of the track,” he said.
“I think if we can just have her settle a little bit better early, she’ll finish off better.”
Southey had the option of running Bazaball Rewarded against her own sex at Caulfield, with the second race on the card a BM84 over 1100m, only restricted to fillies and mares, but he preferred to run against the males with less weight.
Premiership-chaser Jamie Mott will ride from barrier 12 in the field of 16 with Bazaball Rewarded to carry 59.5kg, two kilos less than what she would have had in the fillies and mares event.
“I just didn’t want to put too much weight on her and Jamie rides her well – he’s got a good feel for her,” Southey said.
