While Cosmic Haze will start at long odds in The Star Australian Oaks at Randwick on Saturday, she’s considered a live chance, particularly over a testing 2400 metres.
Cosmic Haze has placed up to 2200 metres and stepped up to the sternest test of her career in the G3 Adrian Knox S. and came from the tail of the field to finish eighth after finding trouble in the running.
“She is a bit dour and gets back, but she’s developed a turn of foot and keeps improving,” trainer Brett Cavanough said.
“Last Saturday, the only instruction I gave (to rider Dale Spriggs) was to get her into clear air and he went to a black hole and she was last on the corner. She’s a good doing filly so we haven’t had to do a lot with her and she’s ready to go.”
“She’s a good doing filly so we haven’t had to do a lot with her and she’s ready to go.” – Brett Cavanough
Bought out of Southern Cross Breeders draft at the Inglis Scone Yearling Sale for $54,000 after being passed in at Magic Millions, Cosmic Haze has a stout female pedigree with her grand-dam Tell Someone (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) winning four times up to 2200 metres.
While not quite yet the finished article, Cosmic Haze has come a long way since her headstrong early days.
“She was a horrible filly with an attitude and was going everywhere but forward. I’ve been a horse breaker all my life and she proved a handful, but we got there,” Cavanough said.
Cosmic Haze as a yearling
She is from the family of the G1 Queensland Derby winner Brambles (NZ) (Savabeel), whose stakes-winning brother Lopov (NZ) was successful over 2500 metres, and Legsman (NZ) (Pins) won the Listed Winter Cup over 2400 metres.
Third dam is also a sister to Slight Chance (NZ) (Centaine) winner of the G1 VRC Oaks and the G1 Queensland Oaks.
Cavanough has sought the advice of a Group 1 winning trainer with the preparation of Cosmic Haze.
“I have been working closely with Kerry Jordan with her (Cosmic Haze). He was my Racing Manager for a while, and he’s got a lot of experience with stayers,” he said.
“I have been working closely with Kerry Jordan with her (Cosmic Haze). ” - Brett Cavanough
“He’s been monitoring her for me for three or four months and we were going to go to the Queensland Oaks.”
Trainer Brett Cavanough
With the Brisbane carnival having a revised schedule due to coronavirus measures, the attention turned to the Sydney features.
“We read the play and decided to go to the Adrian Knox and then press on to the Oaks. She’s a good, staying filly,” Cavanough said.
