Luckless Queen chases Bunbury Cup glory
Justine Erkelens is looking to put a challenging preparation behind her as she aims star mare Own The Queen at the upcoming Bunbury Cup (2000m).
The four-year-old was a dominant force in the three-year-old ranks last season, completing an impressive treble with wins in the Ascot 1000 Guineas (1800m), Natasha Stakes (2200m), and WA Oaks (2400m). However, her current campaign has been riddled with bad luck, from wide draws to interference in races and even an unusual buck-jumping incident that forced her out of the Ascot Mile.
Despite these obstacles, Erkelens remains confident that Own The Queen is close to returning to her best, pointing to her strong second-place finish in the Starstruck Classic (1600m) and her recent third in the Detonator Stakes (1800m) as signs of her ability.
“It’s just been a shitty prep, really,” Erkelens said on Tabradio.
“A few things haven’t gone right for her, having no luck in running and then the mishap with the saddle (Ascot Mile).
“But she’s pretty smart and gets over things pretty quickly, which is a bonus with her.
“So, onwards to the next one and we’ll go to the Bunbury Cup and see what she does there.”
Erkelens may have another promising filly on her hands in Machine Gun Gracie, who delivered an impressive win at Pinjarra on Sunday after a strong second on debut at Bunbury. The daughter of Maschino stormed home to win by 4 ½ lengths, positioning herself as a potential contender for upcoming three-year-old races.
“She is showing us so much potential,” Erkelens said.
“I was hoping she could win her first start because we really want to get into the Ascot 1000 Guineas in a couple of weeks.
“She is so quiet; a lovely filly and we were really pleased with the run.”
In a setback for the stable, promising three-year-old Northern Diamond will be sidelined for the autumn after requiring surgery for a bone chip injury.
“She’s had a bit of a minor hiccup at the moment,” Erkelens said.
“At the moment she’s having a bone chip operation and will go out for a little break.”
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