Wayward mare Agirlsbestfriend ready to bounce back at Tuncurry
A talented yet wayward mare having only her second start in more than a year is looking to recapture her best at Monday’s Tuncurry meeting.
Agirlsbestfriend hadn’t started since late October last year after a string of setbacks when she tackled a competitive benchmark 64 handicap over 1500m for the fillies and mares early last month.
Leading country jockey Aaron Bullock will ride Agirlsbestfriend for the first time.Credit: Getty Images
On that day at Rosehill, next to nothing went right for Agirlsbestfriend, which was bumped and taken wide early in the straight before fading late.
Stewards ordered a veterinary examination, but despite coming back clean, the stable has been very deliberate in targeting a second-up assignment.
Fuelling expectation too is the form out of that midweek race, with second-placed Virgil’s Gift then coming out and easily winning her next start on the Kensington circuit.
In the early part of spring 2024, Agirlsbestfriend was fast establishing herself as one of the better middle-distance horses in country NSW. She charged home from well back to win consecutive races up to BM86 level before being unsuited in tougher metropolitan company on the Kensington track.
More than a year later, after two improving trials, the six-year-old daughter of Star Turn resumed at Rosehill. And given she nearly always took a run or two to find her best, connections will be confident she can re-emerge in a feature BM82 handicap over the mile at Tuncurry.
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Still lightly raced, with five wins and six placings from 28 starts, Agirlsbestfriend opened around the $6.50 mark in a competitive betting race, behind early favourite Change The Date ($3.10) and two other runners about $6.
Installing further confidence is the booking of leading country jockey Aaron Bullock, who rides the mare for the first time.
Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au
