Now is the time for Later to deliver at Caulfield

Brad Waters - Thursday September 21

Her trainer has seen the promise on the training track but imported mare Now Or Later needs to start delivering on the racetrack in a spring campaign that begins at Caulfield on Saturday.

Advertisement
The time has come for Now Or Later to show her overseas form.

Now Or Later was a Group III winner and Group I-placed in Ireland last year and her work and trials on arrival at Robert Smerdon's Caulfield stable lived up to her overseas reputation but her races did not.

Smerdon sent Now Or Later to Adelaide for her Australian debut where she finished 15th in the Group I Robert Sangster Stakes before she ran a steady fourth at Flemington in May.

Smerdon spelled the daughter of Bushranger and he says the extra time in Australia could produce an improved performance in Saturday's Group III Ladbrokes Odds Boost Stakes.

"It's fair to say that she was really pleasing with her work and jumpouts but her raceday performance fell short of expectations," Smerdon said.

"She went for a break and there is a belief that there is an acclimatisation factor in these imported horses that is undeniable.

"Now she's had a break, albeit not a long break, she has had an opportunity to acclimatise and that might mean a whole new ball game."

While Now Or Later starts her spring preparation in a 1200m contest, Smerdon expects the five-year-old to improve sufficiently with more ground to earn a start in the Group I Myer Classic (1600m) in November.

"There is no doubting her ability," Smerdon said.

"If she gets any cut in the ground, that is just a bonus but 1200m first-up, I'm expecting a respectable run and then she stretches to 1400m and ideally, we're trying to get her to the Myer Classic."

Ryan Maloney will ride Now Or Later in the Ladbrokes Odds Boost Stakes and the mare will jump from barrier two.

Sportsbet has Now Or Later at $13 in a competitive market on the race in which the Robbie Laing-trained Missrock and the Sydney mare Ravi share top billing at $5.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Records Tumble at Huge Australian Weanling Sale
The most successful Inglis Australian Weanling Sale in history concluded at Riverside today with a record individual top price of $775,000 paid for a colt by Too Darn Hot (GB), a record gross and record average.
Castelvecchio Filly Records Promising Victory
Having placed in her first two starts, the Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman trained Street Lark (Castelvecchio) appeared to appreciate the step up to the 1500m of Wednesday’s Sportsbet Get On Extra Plate at Caulfield to break her maiden with a promising performance..
First Win for Sword of State Half-Sister
Well-related filly Paravane broke through for her maiden win in pleasing fashion at Ellerslie on Wednesday when taking out the Join TAB Racing Club 1200 in the hands of senior hoop Vinnie Colgan.
First Season Highlights – These Guys Made an Impression
The Inglis Australian Weanling Sale gave buyers the opportunity to have a first look at the progeny of a new crop of  first season sires and the big banger of the group duly produced the highest priced baby from this cohort of sires.
French Derby Contender for Godolphin
The Godolphin winning run continued in France overnight with a French Derby contender emerging in the shape of progressive Lope de Vega colt Cualificar, who is out of Fastnet Rock’s Group I Epsom Oaks winner Qualify.
Queensland Calling for Exciting Wootton Bassett Colt
Champion trainer Chris Waller is renowned for producing talented back season juveniles that blossom into stakes performers and we saw one at Warwick Farm on Wednesday when heavily backed Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Regulated Affair opened his account.
Japanese Bred Filly Wins At Eagle Farm
Could trainer Kris Lees have the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) on his mind after his three-year-old, northern hemisphere bred filly Eclair Encore (Jpn) recorded a strong victory over 1800m at Eagle Farm.
So You Think Filly Shows Oaks Potential
The Bjorn Baker stable has been on fire this year and it’s full steam ahead to Queensland for talented So You Think filly Dame Commander, who beat older rivals at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
Rising Stars - Metro 2YO Double for Wootton Bassett
Coolmore shuttler Wootton Bassett (GB) unleashed not one but two exciting juveniles at Warwick Farm on Wednesday with the opening race going to the colt Regulated Affair and shortly after it was the turn of the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained filly Agarwood.
Million Dollar Goal for I Am Invincible Filly
Tony and Calvin McEvoy landed a lucrative victory in the $1million Magic Millions National 2YO Classic in May last year with Arabian Summer and are hopeful they have another filly that can do the job this year in Sisstainable.