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Cristal after maiden Group One

Friday 19 March 2010
By Mathew Toogood

Grahame Begg believes quality mare Palacio De Cristal ticks plenty of boxes as she looks to score a maiden Group One win in Saturday's Coolmore Classic at Rosehill.

Begg has set Palacio De Cristal for a number of Group One races this campaign beginning with the Coolmore and said he can't get the mare going any better ahead of the $600,000 event over 1500m.

"It's her preferred ground and her preferred trip is around the 1500 metres to 1600 metres so she ticks a few boxes," Begg said.

"I'm very pleased with the way she is progressing, the timing is right for her."

Begg's main concern heading into the Coolmore is the big field of 18 runners because Palacio De Cristal is a mare who needs to be ridden quietly.

The four-year-old produced a last-to-first effort over 1600m in the Group Two Villiers at Randwick in December and then returned from a break with an eye-catching third to Danleigh and Rangirangdoo first-up in the Group Two Apollo Stakes (1400m) at weight-for-age.

"She's extremely well weighted (with 52.5kg) but it's certainly no easy feat because she's going to be giving them a good start," the trainer said.

"She gets back in the field and in a big field she's going to need a bit of luck.

"She's going to be reliant on the pace of the race and getting some luck but I can't get her any better going into the race."

Palacio De Cristal was set to contest the Group One Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) last start but Begg scratched her on race morning because of the wet conditions, which she doesn't like.

He said missing that race didn't worry him and could prove a blessing in disguise.

"She was never going to be suited in that race around Warwick Farm and I was able to trial her last Friday anyway so I don't think she lost anything on the score of fitness," he said.

Begg has a couple of big weekends ahead as he'll fly out on Monday to oversee All Silent's final preparations ahead of next weekend's World Cup meeting in Dubai.

The trainer said the sprinter had arrived safely in Dubai after leaving Australia earlier this week.

Palacio De Cristal was the $7.50 third favourite for the Coolmore with TAB Sportsbet on Friday with the Bart Cummings-trained Faint Perfume favourite at $6.50.

Cummings is pleased with the three-year-old as well as stablemate Allez Wonder, despite the pair drawing wide barriers.

"They've drawn a bit wide - barriers 16 and 15 - but she (Faint Perfume) always draws wide and gets back and finishes well," Cummings said.

Faint Perfume arrived back in Sydney on Monday morning after her brilliant first-up win in the Kewney Stakes at Flemington.

"They worked good on Tuesday and there wasn't much between them, if anything the other horse (Allez Wonder) may have just been a fraction better," Cummings said.

"But she (Faint Perfume) was coming back from going the reverse way (in Melbourne) and the other one (Allez Wonder) was used to it."