STAR Tasmanian mare Lady Lynette has left the Robert Smerdon stable and returned to the care of team Brunton.
Lady Lynette has been campaigning in Victoria under the watchful eye of top trainer Robert Smerdon under whom she won and was placed in multiple Listed and Group races last season.
But this preparation the mare has failed to live up to Smerdon’s expectations so she has been transferred back into the care of training partnership David and Scott Brunton.
Scott Brunton is in Victoria campaigning another stable star in I’m A Hussy and he said the decision to put Lady Lynette back into his care was mutual.
“Robert (Smerdon) didn’t think the mare was right on her game this preparation so after talking it through we decided I’d take her back and train her out of the paddock where I’m staying at Richard and Bevan Laming’s stables at Clyde (near Cranbourne),” Brunton said.
Lady Lynette has had only three runs this preparation and has finished no further back than fourth.
She resumed with an encouraging third in the Group 3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield and followed up with a fourth in the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes over 1400m at Flemington.
At her latest outing she looked dour when a plugging third to Avienus and Belscenica in the Group 2 Stocks Stakes over 1600 metres at Moonee Valley last Saturday week.
“Her form doesn’t look too bad on paper but Robert reckons she’s at least a length off where she was last season so the plan is to change her training environment and prepare her out of the paddock which is how she was prepared back home in Tassie,” Brunton said.
Lady Lynette will have her next start in the Group 2 Blazer Stakes at Flemington on Saturday week.
Meanwhile Brunton is preparing I’m A Hussy for her next mission at Caulfield on October 9.
I’m A Hussy won two starts back in a heat of the Sporting Bet Sprint Challenge series at Caulfield and last Saturday at the same venue she was a game second to Valentine Miss in the How Now Stakes which was another heat of the Sprint Challenge series.
“I’m A Hussy has pulled up great from last Saturday’s run and she is bang on target for the Sprint series final in the Northwood Plume Stakes at Caulfield on Guineas day,” Brunton said.
I’m A Hussy led last Saturday but was run down in the last few strides.
“Hussy was never raced better and I have no doubt she will be at her peak at her next start,” he said.
As a winner of one of the Sprint Challenge series heats, I’m A Hussy will earn a $50,000 bonus for her connections if she wins the $100,000 Northwood Plume.
I’m A Hussy is also being aimed at the $180,000 Tristarc Stakes over 1400 metres on Caulfield Cup day.
Brunton also confirmed I’m A Hussy would most likely miss Tasmania’s two feature mares races during the Tasmanian Summer Racing Carnival in January-February.
“We’ve got our eyes on the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes over 1200 metres in Adelaide next April.”
“If we go that way then we would have to miss the Bow Mistress Stakes (Hobart) and Vamos Stakes (Launceston) during the Tassie carnival but a lot of things can happen between now and then that could make us rethink those plans,” Brunton said.