Mula's Mamaragan ready to bloom in Rose

Having debuted with a win in the G2 Skyline S. and then progressed to placings in the G1 Golden Slipper and the G1 Inglis Sires' in a three-start 2-year-old campaign, the John Thompson-trained Mamaragan always loomed as a strong prospect for the key 3-year-old races of the spring.

While his two runs this time in, a third behind Anders (Not A Single Doubt) in the G3 San Domenico S. and a sixth in the G2 Run To The Rose, might not have matched expectation, Mula believes that he will see significant improvement from the colt in what looms as a much more suitable race on Saturday.

"In that first race Anders just flew along and I think the horse over-reacted when Bossy tried to push him through a gap. We ended up a long way back and then he came home really well. I thought it was a good outcome considering it was a 1100 metre race," Mula told TDN AusNZ.

"The second start was a little disappointing. Farnan came across him and then another horse came across as well and he lost his balance. His jockey came back and said it was a bit of a disaster and they couldn't get balanced because of all the interference.

"On Saturday we have drawn a good barrier, we are going to be positive with him and be in the first 3-4. Hopefully his stamina comes through towards the end of the race."

Mula and Thompson have been heartened by the feedback of jockey Nash Rawiller ahead of Saturday's race, which features hot favourite and G1 JJ Atkins S. winner Rothfire (Rothesay).

"Nash has said to John, when this horse is cruising he feels like he could be anything. That has been a challenge this time in as we have not been able to cruise in a race. Saturday is an important one for us and we hope things can go our way. We want him to be up there for a shot in the finish," he said.

"We are hoping on Saturday that they won't go so hard over the 1400 metres and hopefully he can finish off in the same way he did in the Sires'.

"This has been the race we have set him for all along. It was always planned that the prep would peak when he was third-up. This is the race we have been targeting without a doubt."

Guineas goals

While the Golden Rose has long been the spring target for Mamaragan, Mula is looking forward to see what he can achieve over the 1600 metres of next month's G1 Caulfield Guineas.

"Our aim is to go to the Caulfield Guineas with him," he said.

"You would think his ideal distance is that 1400 metre to 1600 metre range. His father got up to a mile and won an Australian Guineas. He's just a magnificent looking animal and John is very happy with him."

Mula could have two contenders in the Caulfield Guineas, with Cambourne (Redoute's Choice) to contest the G3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude on Saturday.

"Mick Price has got a very good horse that Paul (Whelan) and myself bred called Cambourne, who has won two out of two and he is in the Prelude on Saturday. Mick has got a big opinion of that horse," Mula said.

"You would think the mile will suit that horse quite a lot. He's a big horse but he has a good turn of foot and we will find out more on Saturday."

A focussed approach to broodmare band

Having heavily supported his former star 3-year-old colt, Flying Artie, through the early stages of his breeding career at Newgate, Mula has reduced his broodmare band to around 10 from a height of 20.

Among those he sold is Mamaragan's dam, Forbidden (General Nediym).

"I sold the mum to Ricky Surace of B2B Bloodstock and she has been covered by Snitzel. I've retained the yearling sister by Foxwedge and so Ricky gave me a nice price for the dam and I decided to let her go. I hope Ricky gets a nice colt out of her and Mamaragan can win a Group 1 to help him along," he said.

Mula, meanwhile, will be heavily supporting Newgate's Capitalist with a couple of stakes-winning maiden mares heading his way in Listed winner Stella Victoria (Foxwedge) and dual Group 3 winner Life On The Wire (Pluck {USA}).

Also headed to Capitalist is the well related imported mare I'm Pretty Strong (USA) (Street Cry {Ire}), the half-sister to G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Sharing (USA) (Speightstown {USA}), who has just foaled a Dundeel (NZ) filly.

Stakes-winner Kentucky Miss (Foxwedge), purchased outright by Mula's Aston Bloodstock from the Luskin Park dispersal at the Inglis Broodmare Sale, is going to Coolmore's first-season sire and 2019 The Everest winner Yes Yes Yes.

Table: Wilf Mula's mating plans for 2020

Arties set to fly

Also keeping Mula busy this spring will be the first crop of Flying Arties, which are about to hit the track.

Mula has five himself, including a colt out of Kentucky Miss, Bourbon Flyer, who was set to trial last Monday for Thompson before going a little shinsore. He has been spelled. That colt's three-quarter brother, an as yet unnamed colt out of Twelve Pack Shelly (USA) (Deputy Storm {USA}), is nearing a debut for Toby and Trent Edmonds.

"For some reason, they think Flying Artie looks a miler but as we found it, he was a sprinter and people shied off them, because as weanlings and early yearlings, they looked a little slight. But they have all put on a lot of meat over the past 12 months. They are looking more robust now," Mula said.

"We are confident, but every new stallion owner has the same idea and I think the proof is in the pudding in how they race."