Photo by Racing and Sports
Wednesday, 22 February 2012: Neville Layt is confident out-of-form filly Karuta Queen will rediscover the trademark gate speed which has disappeared in her last two race starts.
And the Queanbeyan trainer has hinted his chestnut three-year-old might resume this campaign in Queensland, once she recovers from her career-worst run on Saturday which netted a ninth placing in the Light Fingers Stakes (1200m).
Karuta Queen was cleared of any health problems when vetted on Monday, two days after her Light Fingers flop.
That run followed a gutsy but unsuccessful fourth placing in the Rubiton Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield a week earlier where she missed the jump as well following a barrier incident with the temperamental Here De Angels.
“That's racing and everything but it's not like here to miss the kick twice,” Layt said.
“She hasn't lost that [gate speed]. She just needs a little bit of a freshen up and everything like that.
“When I say that, don't work her for a week, let her have an easy time. She gets a pick every day and a walk but we're just not going to ride her for a week.
“By next week she'll be jumping out of her skin.
“She'll probably have a barrier trial before she even has to start again. Just to make sure everything's right before I even think about running her in a race.”
The Light Fingers had always been the target for Layt, but his plan to run the two-time stakes winner a fortnight prior was washed away when Warwick Farm's first scheduled meeting of the month was abandoned due to heavy rain.
“That really was the end of the story, from there on it was just catch up to get a run under her belt before the Light Fingers and as it turned out it just didn't work,” Layt said.
“Now she'll just have an easy time of it, when she tells me she's ready to go we'll go.
“She had a big, big week [last week]. It just took her a few days, Sunday and Monday she didn't eat much at all but now she's right back on to her food and everything and quite bright again.”
Layt hasn't started mapping out the rest of his stable star's autumn preparation, and said he wouldn't rush her back to racing.
“If we miss Sydney we'll go to Brisbane,” Layt said,
“There are some nice races up there.”
