3 minute read

Denman mare to have final run in Proud Miss Stakes

The John McArdle-trained Humma Humma (Denman) will be out to sign off her career in style when she looks defend her crown in the Proud Miss Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) at Morphettville on Saturday, her last race before she is offered at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast later this month. 

McArdle admitted it would be a bittersweet feeling when the mare lines up for her final start in the Group 3 on Saturday. 

"She's been very good to us, so it's a little bit bittersweet," McArdle told Racing.com. 

"She has done everything we could have asked from her, apart from win a Group 1.I think she's 14-times stakes-placed, so she has been an incredibly consistent mare.

"She goes out there and tries and that's probably why she's a stable favourite, she goes out every time and gives us everything she's got."

The mare finished second in the RN Irwin Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) on April 17 and was last seen running sixth in the Robert Sangster Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) on May 1. 

"I actually think her run in the Sangster this year was better than the year before," McArdle professed.

"Her run in the Irwin behind Kemalpasa, she ran the fastest sectionals of the day.

"She probably raced a little bit closer than she ever has before in the Sangster, she was going to get caught wide, so Jamie just elected to roll forward because there didn't look any speed on paper, but it ended up there was a lot of speed.

"The other three that were up on pace dropped out of the race and she stuck to her guns and got beat three lengths, so I'm happy enough going into the Proud Miss that if things break our way in the running, she'll be competitive.

"I can't fault her at home, she worked well here on Tuesday morning, she went down to the beach this morning."

Meanwhile, connections of Brooklyn Hustle (Starspanngledbanner) will be hoping in-form jockey Jamie Kah and can coax a first stakes victory out of the four-year-old when she lines up in the Group 3. 

"We are really looking forward to Saturday's event with her," co-trainer Jason Warren told Racing.com. 

"I did see Rubisaki in the nominations, so she will definitely test us out running third in the mares race last start, but our girl was probably best of the closers in the Sangster and expecting her to go there on Saturday and run well.

"She spent a week in SA before the Sangster and she's stayed there and trained on really nicely and had a nice gallop at Morphettville yesterday on the course proper and looks great.

"She's been very good and she's knocking on the door, let's get the job done on Saturday and hopefully we can knock off a Group 1 in Queensland with her," Warren said of Brooklyn Hustle, who is a $3.40 chance in Sportsbet's market.

"The Tatts Tiarra I'm really keen to see her over 1400 metres and that will be her real main target in Queensland.

"However, there are a few nice lead-up races to get to that event and that's late July so we will have time to have another run or two before that."