Joe Pride will decide whether to retire or spell Mariamia after Bletchingly Stakes

Winning Saturday’s Bletchingly Stakes could end Mariamia’s racing career.
The mare could find herself retired on Monday.
Winning at Group 3 level could seal the deal for the Joe Pride-trained mare while a disappointing run could also mean Saturday’s feature was Mariamia’s last start.
“Our decision could be made even after tomorrow whether she goes to stud this year,” Pride said.
“It’s an important run for her.”
Mariamia joined Pride’s camp in the autumn after breeder Newhaven Park bought the mare online for $335,000.
“She’s a tough mare,” Pride said.

“She’s gone all the way right through winter and she didn’t get much of a break when we brought her up from Melbourne.
“She’s been a very tough, durable mare right through the winter.
“Sooner or later, she’d probably need to go to the paddock.
“It’s just a matter of whether she goes there to spell or as a broodmare.”

Mariamia repaid $73,000 of her purchase price with a win and a third at her first two starts for Pride but just missed placings at stakes level in Sydney and Brisbane at her last two runs.
However, Pride knows why Mariamia ran fourth in both the Dane Ripper Stakes (1300m) and the Civic Stakes (1400m).
“I think the 1400m is a bit too far for her. It is at this point anyway,” Pride said.
“If I could have this mare from the start of her prep, I could give her a better grounding over it but at this stage of her life, the 1200m is better for her.”
Mariamia drops back to 1200m in the Bletchingly Stakes.
The rising five-year-old produced a great effort at her last Caulfield run when beaten a head by retired Kiwi star Probabeel in the Group 3 Bellmaine Stakes (1200m) in February.
Add the booking of jockey Jamie Kah to the equation and the $7 chance should be around the mark in the Bletchingly Stakes.