CIARON MAHER: THIS WEEK'S HRO GUEST BLOGGER

By Ciaron Maher | Thursday, June 9, 2016

On Saturday, at a sparkling new Eagle Farm racetrack, trainer Ciaron Maher will attempt to join a select, short list of trainers to score back to back victories in the Stradbroke. Maher saddled the 2015 winner Srikandi. On Saturday Azkadellia, the ruling Stradbroke favourite, will carry the stable flag in the 2016 edition of Queensland’s most prestigious race. Here, in his role as ‘Guest Blogger’ on HRO, Maher gives his view on the build-up to be the big day

All things being well it is all pretty straight forward now for Azkadellia over the next couple of days before the Stradbroke on Saturday.

On raceday when they go in the gates you do get going a bit yourself. It’s only natural that you get excited. The Stradbroke is such a great race.

After last year’s win with Srikandi to find this horse and then the way she has come on has been great for the stable.

It’s a different experience this time around because Srikandi and Azkadellia are totally different in character and racing pattern.

Srikandi could be a real handful and in races she would muscle his way out of the barriers, be up on the speed and then kick strongly.

Azkadellia’s pattern is to get back in the field, which normally means she needs a bit of luck in the running.

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As a trainer you have to work with horses that have different temperaments and abilities.

I find it really is all about trying to work out their strengths, what they like and what they don’t like, and working with them on that.

It is all just about developing them on the right path.

You get them as a young horse. A lot of young horses have Group 1 ability but not many get the chance to fulfil it and get the Group 1 glory.

Azkadellia has just had a great season so far. She’s raced in the spring, in the autumn and now here she is in winter.

She was super in the Doomben 10,000. I never thought we would be a real winning chance in that race. The winner (Music Magnate) travelled well and hit the line hard in what turned out to be a bit of an unusual race tempo-wise ... but Azkadellia got through it well.

She generally improves with racing. I think her last run in the autumn was her best and it looks to me like she has improved off her run the other day where she just peaked a bit on her run.

Her residual fitness is very high and she is thriving in Queensland ... as they normally do ... especially the fillies and mares.

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Azkadellia certainly had a lot of great riders on her ... including the likes of Damien Oliver, Brett Prebble, Joao Moreira and Glen Boss.

I think she has had fifteen starts with about ten different riders.

Obviously because of her racing style, you have to be patient on her. The longer you wait the better her turn of foot.

Damien (Oliver) obviously has that ability. He is very confident and he’s got a great record on her.

We did have a lot of jockeys phoning for the ride. She could have had anyone of the boys really but we went with Damien.

He needs no introduction. He is who he is. He is one of the greats.

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I don’t know how the race will pan out on Saturday or what route Azkadellia will follow.

It all depends on how the track is racing. If the track is even they will be spread out across the track and there will be plenty of room.

Her big advantage is her acceleration.

Wherever she is placed, if she can find a clear passage in the straight she has got the turn of foot to make it count.

At this time of the year this is the biggest racing in Australia and to be in Queensland trying to win the biggest race of the carnival is super.

It really is a great time of the year to be racing horses and even better to be involved in the big races.

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Just for the record, the 2015 Stradbroke winner Srikandi is due to come back into work in about a month’s time after recovering from a stress fracture.

It all depends on what the owners want to do. She may become a broodmare ... she is very valuable ... or she may race again.

We’ll just see how she goes.

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