Demerara to bounce back at Flemington

The talented filly Demerara will be given the chance to return to winning ways when she joins stablemate Jorda in the G3 Kennedy Plate at Flemington on Thursday.

Demerara had shown above average ability to win her only three starts before finishing third in the Listed Crockett Stakes at Moonee Valley last month, but trainer James Cummings is satisfied she can bounce back.

“She blotted her copy book with a third placing at Moonee Valley but the jockey was convinced she didn’t handle the tight track,” Cummings said.

Demerara had Sydney’s leading rider Hugh Bowman in the saddle at the Valley and it is significant that he retains the ride at Flemington.

“We have had a good think about whether we wanted to run her one more time at this carnival and we liked the look of this race,” Cummings said

Jorda (Brenton Avdulla) finished eighth in the same Moonee Valley race where Cummings believes luck was against the filly.

“She was blocked behind a wall of horses that day and couldn’t get a clear crack at them, but she was full of running and ready to produce a really good sprint,” he said.

Badajoz, another unlucky runner from Moonee Valley, will also be out to make amends in Thursday’s Listed Absolut Stakes.

The son of Commands had won at his two starts before failing to obtain clear running until too late and running on strongly to finish third. 

“We left the Valley believing it was a win that got away,” Cummings said.

“He’d been in such great form all this preparation we’d love to give him this opportunity up the Flemington straight track.”

Another important runner for Godolphin at Flemington on Thursday is Souchez who is joined by stablemate Noumea in the ungraded Twitter Trophy.

Cummings is hoping the step out to 1,800m will suit the colt.

“We want to see him really try and get past those in front of him rather than just running on nicely,” the trainer said.