TALENTED mare Jameka won her third group one race for trainer Ciaron Maher when she spread-eagled a classy field of weight-for-age stayers in the $1.5 million BMW at Rosehill on Saturday.
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Jameka defeated the Darren Weir-trained Humidor by 6.5 lengths with Exospheric nearly two lengths behind in third spot in the classic over 2400 metres.
Jameka’s win has opened up various doors for the brilliant four-year-old mare who won last year's group one Caulfield Cup and the 2015 VRC Oaks.
But Winslow-raised Maher is undecided which path he will head down with her.
“She’s a top class mare,” he said.
“Her performance in the BMW was outstanding.
“We’ve got various options on the table.
“I think we’ll just let the dust settle for a couple of days.
“I don't like making decisions straight after races but in the short-term our main options appear to be the $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick on April 8, the QE II Stakes in Hong Kong on April 30 and possibly the Prix de I’Arc de Triomphe in France in October.”
Maher, who has stables at Caulfield and Pakenham plus training facilities in Warrnambool, said he was surprised with the ease of Jameka’s win.
“I thought before the BMW she would be very competitive but she put some top horses away very easily,” the former Emmanuel College student said.
“My main concern before the race was the heavy track but she relished the heavy going.
“I've got to give credit to champion jockey Hugh Bowman who rode her brilliantly and to all the staff back at home.”
Jameka took her record to six wins and nine placings from 24 starts with her victory in the BMW.
She has earned more than $4.8 million in stakemoney.
Meanwhile, Humidor, who is trained at Weir’s Warrnambool satellite stable, is heading to the spelling paddock following his second placing in the BMW.
The lightly-raced Kiwi-bred four-year-old will be set for feature staying races over the Melbourne spring carnival. Humidor picked up $285,000 for his connections with his second placing.