Trainer Gavin Bedggood remains mystified by the performance of Boss Queen after the mare finished a long last at Moonee Valley.
That performance was on New Year’s Eve and six-and-a-half weeks later Boss Queen is set to run in the Evergreen Turf Handicap (1300m) at Sandown.
It was the same course and distance Boss Queen had been successful over 10 days prior to her poor showing at Moonee Valley.
Craig Newitt, who rode Boss Queen at The Valley, reported to Racing Victoria stewards that Boss Queen felt sore behind when finishing a long last.
“She was extensively vetted postrace by the RVL vets who failed to find anything,” Bedggood said.
“Then the Monday after, she was gone over with a fine toothcomb by my vet at home and we were unable to find anything.
“We put her out in the paddock for a couple of weeks and sent her to the water-walker for 10 days.
“I trialled her last week, probably for my own benefit, to make sure she was going as well as I thought she was, and that trial backed it up.”
Bedggood took Boss Queen to the Cranbourne trials on February 6 where the mare scored a three-length win from Proscenium Arch over 990m.
A gallop on Saturday morning and the addition of a tongue tie has Bedggood confident of a far better showing from Boss Queen on Wednesday.
“We’ve kept her right up to the mark following the trial,” Bedggood said.
“We put a tongue tie on her in the trial last week and she trialled well in that.
“The race at Moonee Valley was a high-pressure race whereas the one at Sandown beforehand she was able to control it from the front without a lot of pressure.
“Hopefully she can do that again on Wednesday.”
Damien Oliver, who rode Boss Queen in her victory at Sandown, has the ride again on Wednesday.