Euclase the preference for Causeway Girl

Trainer Clinton McDonald is favouring an Adelaide feature for Causeway Girl rather than Flemington.

Melbourne filly Causeway Girl is scheduled to hit the road again for another interstate assignment, this time for the Group Two Euclase Stakes in Adelaide.

After a strong first-up win at Flemington in March the Clinton McDonald-trained three-year-old was taken to Sydney for her next two starts, finishing fourth and fifth respectively in the Group Three P J Bell Stakes (1200m) and Group Two Arrowfield Sprint (1200m) at Randwick.

Causeway Girl is one of a host of horses nominated for both Saturday’s Group Two Euclase (1200m) at Morphettville and a 1200m handicap for three-year-olds at Flemington.

McDonald said they would accept for Causeway Girl in both races but the plan was for the filly to travel to Adelaide later this week for the Euclase with Damien Oliver to ride.

“We’ll accept for Flemington just in case we get a bad barrier or something like that,” McDonald said.

Causeway Girl has a Group Three placing courtesy of a close second in the Red Roses at Flemington last spring but the Euclase is another opportunity to chase a valuable Group race victory.

“We’re trying to turn her into a valuable broodmare and I’m hoping we can get over there and get a result with her,” McDonald said.

“I thought her first run in Sydney was fantastic. She had to do a bit of work and just got tired a bit late being three weeks between runs.

“We left a little bit in the tank knowing we were going to back her up and then in the Arrowfield Sprint she just had no luck at all. She got caught the widest runner, had to do a bit of work out there and over-raced, but I thought she found the line really strongly.

“We’re hoping this Saturday we can have a bit more luck and she can figure in the finish somewhere.”

Causeway Girl was also nominated for Saturday’s Group One TAB Classic (1200m) for fillies and mares at Morphettville but was not among the 15 acceptors on Tuesday, with McDonald saying they decided to keep the filly against her own age.

The Group Three Proud Miss Stakes and Group One Goodwood are options after Saturday.