Olive Welcomes Back Kay May
As one of her stable favourites prepares for another lengthy stint on the sidelines at best, Goldfront’s Sue Olive welcomes back another of her members at Ascot on Wednesday.
Kaymay lines up in the Reliable Asset Management Handicap (1200m) and Olive hopes the Awesome Rock filly can replicate something close to when she won on debut last year.
Kaymay came from third last position as they entered the Ascot straight, but with a brilliant burst of speed she was able to get up in the last stride and score by a narrow margin.
But as good as she was at her first-up appearance it’s been slim pickings since for Kaymay, who at her subsequent four starts has been unable to add to her win-loss strike rate.
The three-year-old comes back to racing without a trial and five months since she took her part in the Listed Belgravia Stakes (1200m) last October when ninth.
Olive believes there could have been genuine reasons for Kay May’s drop off in form, but is optimistic she could be back on track for her resumption.
“After her races we were scratching our heads and wondering what was going on,” Olive told The Races WA.
“Why wasn’t she showing what we knew she could do?
“We had her x-rayed and she had stress fractures in both legs at the back.
“So, she was off with that for six to eight weeks.
“She then hit the fence during a storm and did some damage to her front fetlock.
“That was another period of time that she needed off.
“But since we have brought her back in again, fingers crossed, she has been doing everything fine.
“Her work has been fine and she has really been putting in.
“She will throw her in and see how she goes.
“She should put in a good run on Wednesday.”
Against 11 other rivals, Kaymay has drawn barrier 3. She carries the 60kg top weight. Kyra Yuill, who rode her to victory on debut, has the mount.
Meanwhile the future for Olive’s top mare Snickerdoodledandy does not appear bright.
After a flat ending to her Melbourne preparation under Peter Moody, the Snitzel four-year-old resumed in last Sunday week’s Pinjarra Classic (1300m) and failed to fire, finishing ahead of two other runners.
A Listed winner of the Burgess Queen Stakes (1400m) for Dan Morton as a three-year-old, Olive was banking on Snickerdoodledandy collecting a few more wins before she was sent off to the breeding barn.
Olive said Snickerdoodledandy did not leave the Pinjarra Classic unscathed.
“Lucy (Warwick) came in and said there was something seriously go wrong in the back end,” Olive said.
“There seems to be something high up in the hips or pelvic area.
“We’ll see what the vets say and if they can find something.
“If they find something severe it looks like she will go to the breeding barn earlier than I expected.”
Julio Santarelli