Flower Girl Being Prepped to Bloom in November

Realm of Flowers (So You Think-Astral Flower, by Kalanisi) was guaranteed a start in the Melbourne Cup after scoring in the win-and-you're-in Andrew Ramsden at Flemington (2800m) on May 15, but she will only be seen three more times before the first Tuesday in November. According to punters.com.au, Realm of Flowers is on the second line of pre-nomination markets for the Melbourne Cup market at $15, with her trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman mapping out her spring program while she stays at their Mornington Peninsula stable. She has a major advantage by not having to make her way through the Melbourne Cup qualifying races, something that is a relief, says co-trainer Sam Freedman. "It's a really good position to be in. We had it with Steel Prince a few years ago as well. It just allows you to maximize them peaking on that one day." Freedman commented, "I think when you're trying to get a horse into a race like the Melbourne Cup, you've got to have them ready to go the whole way through their prep in order to qualify them." Realm of Flowers is by Coolmore Stud's So You Think whose progeny have amassed a massive 233 Black Type Premiership points this season.

Realm of Flowers won the Ramsden (pic: coolmore.com)