Chrissie likely to sit out Standish Handicap

Ciaron Maher is likely to resist testing Mrs Chrissie at the Flemington 1200 metres for the first time in next Saturday’s Group 3 Standish Handicap (1200m), instead setting his sights on a Listed race over a shorter trip on the Australia Day weekend.

The speedster will most likely next run on January 25, in either the $175,000 Adams Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield or the $120,000 Durbridge Stakes (1100m) at Morphettville, which gives her a touch over four weeks between runs after her Christmas Stakes second placing on Boxing Day.

That was her second Stakes placing, after a Group 3 Monash Stakes third, but she is still seeking her first Black Type win and Maher’s assistant trainer said the January 25 events shaped as more suitable options.

“Knowing her, 1000 and 1100 (metres) are her best trips and if we can space her runs, which we like doing, we do,” Turnbull said.

“There’s a race in Adelaide on the same day and one at Caulfield, she’ll be in one of the two.

“She’s Stakes-quality, obviously, but if we can just get that win it will be good. We’ve got her, we’ve got a sibling, the owner’s still got the mare, so it adds a lot more to the picture.”

The daughter of Per Incanto boasts six wins – the most of recent of which came in effortless fashion first-up at Ballarat – and eight placings from 21 starts and Turnbull said they had not given up on a Group 1 throw-at-the-stumps if the six-year-old could land a Stakes win.

“Pie-in-the-sky you would say a Grand Final could be a Sangster (Stakes) – you might have a crack at six furlongs in mares company – but we are very realistic and the ownership group is much the same,” Turnbull said.

“If we could win a Listed or Group 3 in mares grade, that’s number one (goal), and then we could potential look at a Sangster.”