Monday, 20 August 2012:
As the racing career of Atlantic Jewel hangs in the balance, things are about to get serious for her little sister at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
Commanding Jewel, a three-quarter sibling to the unbeaten dual Group One winner, is set to run at Moonee Valley having passed her first test with flying colours, winning a Swan Hill maiden a week ago.
The Mark Kavanagh-trained Atlantic Jewel has been ruled out of the spring with scans on her injured tendon to be sent overseas for analysis to determine the valuable mare's future.
It has been smooth sailing so far for her younger sister with trainer Leon Corstens to assess her after she works on Tuesday morning to confirm a start in the 1200m Fillies Plate at Moonee Valley, the next step on her journey towards emulating Atlantic Jewel's Thousand Guineas win.
"I'll see how she works in the morning but so far she has done everything right since Swan Hill," Corstens said.
"She is a really good eater and hasn't put a foot wrong."
Commanding Jewel's win at Swan Hill looked even better when it was discovered Jamie Mott had weighed in 2kg overweight after the race.
"I didn't know about that until later," Corstens said.
"Weight is a big thing with young horses.
"Damien Oliver will ride her on Saturday. That was always the plan when she came to town."
Oliver will also be aboard the filly's stablemate Awesome Bro at the Valley with the gelding to run in the Listed McKenzie Stakes (1200m).
The winner of his only two starts, Awesome Bro is on a path towards the Caulfield Guineas, a race Corstens has won with Helenus in 2002 and Starspangledbanner seven years later.
"He is a nice type of horse who is headed towards the Caulfield Guineas," Corstens said.
"He is definitely the right kind of horse and I think he can stand up to be counted."
There were 19 entries taken for the McKenzie on Monday and 15 for the fillies race with 39 horses nominated for the 1519m handicap on the program.
