Concord Connie eyes Victorian Group 1 success
Charlotte Littlefield, the Pakenham-based trainer, is opting against chasing substantial prize money in interstate races with Concord Connie, focusing instead on securing a Group 1 win within Victoria.
The exciting mare, Concord Connie, has undergone four weeks of preparation and is being readied for her return, with the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington during the Melbourne Cup Carnival identified as the ultimate target.
This decision means the mare will bypass a trip to Sydney for the $10 million Golden Eagle, a race that has recently achieved Group 1 status.
The rising four-year-old has made only four race starts, winning her last three consecutively, with the two most recent victories occurring at Flemington, the most recent on May 16.
Littlefield intends to commence Concord Connie's campaign with a low-key race to enhance her rating in anticipation of the Spring Carnival.
"She's probably just a touch ahead of schedule so we've probably got a bit of time to sit back and relax a little bit, just take her through gently and not rush her," Littlefield commented.
"She had four-and-a-half or five weeks out and she wasn't a horse that loved being out in the paddock.
"She actually loves and thrives off the attention of being in the stable and human interaction.
"She's a unique horse and we enjoy having her back in, that's for sure.
"We'll kick-off in a benchmark race first-up in mid to late September, possibly at Mornington as around that time there is very little benchmark racing in town, so hopefully she can kick-off in a winning way.
"We need to raise those points and providing she has come back well from there we will plot a path to something like the Empire Rose.
"She obviously goes well at Flemington.
"There is the lure of big prize money up in Sydney, but for me it's more important to win a Group 1 at headquarters down here in Victoria and for the owners too."
Littlefield is yet to achieve a Group 1 victory, having had only four runners contest races at that elite level.
A near miss came in the 2025 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield when She's Bulletproof secured second place behind Jimmysstar.
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