EMBRACE ME SET FOR BIG CHALLENGE

Danny O’Brien admits Embrace Me will have to go to a “new level” to claim Friday’s Australia Stakes, but says a return to Moonee Valley will bring the best out of the talented mare.

The four-year-old, who won the Group 3 Typhoon Tracy at The Valley in 2019, is one of 14 nominations for Friday’s $200,000 Group 2 over 1200m, however they have been extended until 10am Tuesday.

O’Brien said Embrace Me was “going really well”, but conceded she would need to lift to beat a weight for age field likely to feature the likes of Group 1 winner Hey Doc and Microphone.

“We are really keen to see her back at Moonee Valley, her best performances by far have been at Moonee Valley,” O’Brien said.

“She’s not that well placed at weight for age, it’s going to be good to get her back to a track where she performs so well.

“It (Moonee Valley) sets up well for her when the rail is true, she can be out the back early and then really be strong late. That’s the way it should race on Friday night.

“It should be an even track. She seems to really appreciate it (the surface), she loved it out here this morning (Monday) and hopefully we get a nice surface on Friday night as well.”

Embrace Me completed a “leisurely half mile” alongside stablemate Neurotic on Monday morning, giving her one final hit out before Friday’s race.

She heads into the Australia Stakes in good form following a luckless third down the straight at Flemington first up.

“If she gets a clean run at them she is probably winning that race (at Flemington),” O’Brien said.

“I think she can run well (on Friday night). But it is a big step up to take on the established weight for age Group 1 horses.

“She has always run very well here, but she needs to go to a new level to win on Friday night.”

Story by Ryan Reynolds for Racing.com

Pic by Darryl Sherer