Cassidy booked for Lucia Valentina

24 March 2015

Lucia Valentina will have a new rider if, as expected, she backs up in Saturday’s $A1.5 million Gr.1 BMW Stakes at Rosehill.

“Jim Cassidy will be on her with Hugh Bowman suspended,” said Bruce Perry, racing manager for the mare’s owner Lib Petagna.

The Kris Lees-prepared Lucia Valentina finished third behind the Irish-bred Contributor and he Japanese visitor Tosen Stardom in the Gr.1 Ranvet Stakes last weekend.

“She came through the race very well and as long as she’s 100 per cent she’ll run again,” Perry said. “She’s backed up before without a problem.”

Meanwhile, the Petagna-owned Dal Cielo travelled without incident on Monday to Sydney in preparation for the $A1 million ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes on April 4.

The Corner with Garry Chittick

I don’t know if the two of you have ever had the thrill of travelling at high speed across the water on a single ski, totally dependent on the driver of the boat. Fall off and you are left treading water, reminds you of racing. Here we are, with multiple hints of navigation hanging on to the rope hoping for salvation.

20 May 2026

Icebath’s half-sister goes back-to-back

Well-bred mare Superfabulistic (Super Seth ex Fabulist) continued her rise through the grades at Warwick Farm on Wednesday, making it back-to-back victories with a strong performance in the Precise Air Handicap (1600m).