By Glenn Davis
Trainer Kelly Schweida believes talented filly Cellarmaid may be looking for further ground when she makes her comeback at Doomben on Wednesday.
Cellarmaid will be having her first start in more than three months when she lines up in the QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap (1350m).
The daughter of Husson has not started since finishing eighth to the Tony Gollan-trained A Man To Match in the $250,000 The Wave over 1800 metres at the Gold Coast on January 4.
Cellarmaid is a half-sister to the former Schweida-trained Cellargirl who was a Stakes winner and ran third to Alizee in the 2017 Group One Flight Stakes.
She also is a younger half-sister to the Chris Waller-trained Cellarman, a nine times-winner including the Listed Wintergarden Stakes at Eagle Farm in 2016 and Group 3 Doncaster Prelude at Randwick in 2018.
Schweida made a rare trip to Tasmania to buy Cellarmaid as a yearling and so far the trip has been worthwhile with her prizemoney earnings of just over $80,000 cancelling out her purchase price.
“I don’t go to the Tasmanian sales normally but I went there because she was a half-sister to Cellargirl who I trained at the time,” Schweida said.
Schweida always had a big opinion of Cellargirl who retired with three wins in 17 starts but was a Listed race winner and placed at Group 1 level when third to Alize in the Flight Stakes at Randwick in 2017.
“She’s well bred and has a lot of potential but she needs to put her act together,” he said.
“Her last run in The Wave was very good considering she dropped back to last early on.
“She was 12 lengths off them on the corner and her last 200 metres was unbelievable.”
Schweida is in a dilemma with the future program for Cellarmaid after the original Brisbane winter carnival was disrupted because of coronavirus.
“She was headed on a trial and error campaign for the Queensland Oaks but that’s off now,” he said.
“I’m not sure where she’ll go now but there’s a couple of races that are still suitable for her in the revised winter program.”
The Group 2 The Roses (1800m) at Eagle Farm on June 13 looms as the logical target for Cellarmaid if her form warrants it.
Schweida believes Cellarmaid wants further and fears 1350-metre may test her first-up.
“I think 1350 metres might be too short for her but she’s coming along well and went okay in a recent jump out,” he said.
Racing Queensland webnews - April 21