Lightning Stakes on the cards for Epic Centre
Mornington trainer Clayton Douglas will consider a trip to Adelaide for the final Stakes race of the season after Epic Centre scored a midweek win at Sandown.
The Listed Lightning Stakes (1050m) at Morphettville on Saturday week is an option for the three-year-old after Epic Centre registered his third win in his past five starts when taking out the Ladbroke It! Handicap (1000m) on Wednesday.
Ridden by Thomas Stockdale, Epic Centre ($5) held-off Clock Strikes ($6) with the $3.40 favourite Pereille back in third place.
Douglas said Epic Centre had been a slow developing galloper, but one that was also very fast.
“He’s always shown me a lot of ability,” Douglas said.
“He ran third in that Magic Millions race at Ballarat as a young horse and I thought he was really fast and precocious.
“But he went off the rails a little bit, and it took him a little while to come to hand, but he’s strengthened up a lot as a three-year-old, going on four, and is really fast.
“It was a good ride by Tommy. It was his first ride for me, so it’s a 100 per cent strike rate.”
Douglas said if he decided against a trip to Adelaide with Epic Centre, he was likely to give the sprinter a break and look to the summer sprints later in the year.
“I had him in the benchmark 78 up the straight at Flemington last Saturday but Najem Suhail probably would have been breathing down his neck the whole way and would have put too much pressure on us,” Douglas said.
“So, I’m just trying to build him along nicely.
“He could go to Adelaide next week or for a little breather now and come back for those summer sprints later in the year.
“I’ll probably throw a nomination in the Lightning Stakes over in Adelaide next week and just see what happens.”
While the campaign for Epic Centre may be drawing to a close, Douglas is excited with having Giga Kick back in his stable.
The Everest winner returned to his Mornington base just over a week ago to commence his campaign that will kick off at Moonee Valley in September.
“I’m jumping out of bed of a morning and I’m pretty excited to be seeing him every day,” Douglas said.
“He’s in great order and I can’t wait to unleash him.”
More Racing News
The Black Cloud descends on Randwick rivals
Having begun the day questioning how well The Black Cloud had come back this campaign, Joe Pride ended it by labelling her a stakes-class horse in the making. The Proven Thoroughbreds filly took her record to three wins from four starts with a rousing first-up victory in Saturday’s Taylor Construction Handicap (1000m)...
Scarlet Oak wins Roses to earn G1 Queensland Oaks favouritism
Chris Waller has labelled Scarlet Oak a “rising star” after the lightly raced filly staked her Group One Queensland Oaks claims with a classy win over stablemate Mare Of Mt Buller in the Doomben Roses. The filly has come a long way in a short time, making a winning debut in New Zealand in...
Sargent hoping Casual Connection can earn a Brisbane Cup berth
John Sargent is crossing his fingers that Casual Connection’s narrow victory at Randwick will give him a sufficient ratings boost to squeeze into the field for the Brisbane Cup. A renowned trainer of stayers, Sargent saddled up two runners in the two-mile race last year, Essential Sky who finished fifth and Outlandos ninth, and...
Le Ferrari leads home Lindsay Park quinella at Sandown
A return to Sandown has paid a dividend for Lindsay Park galloper Le Ferrari who led home a one-two finish for Ben, Will and J D Hayes. Le Ferrari over-ran stablemate Rheinberg to claim the Thoroughbred Club Of Australia Handicap (1400m) on Saturday. Ridden by Ben Allen, Le Ferrari ($10) overhauled Rheinberg ($7.50) in the final...
Queensland tilt among the options for Neasham 2YO
A belated shot at the Brisbane winter carnival is among the options for lightly raced filly Aemelius after she upstaged a handy field of two-year-olds to win the opening race at Randwick. Having just her second start, the Annabel Neasham-trained youngster, who started at $12 with betting sites, went back to last...
Bois D’Argent upsets rivals in G1 Doomben Cup
Trainer Annabel Neasham has landed a second victory in the Doomben Cup with a horse she said was well over the odds. Imported galloper Bois D’Argent held off a late bid from New Endeavour to follow the win of Zaaki for Neasham in 2021 in the Group 1 2000m weight-for-age contest. Ridden by Blake...
Trip test next for Lady In Pink
A return to Sandown has brought out the best in the Leon and Troy Corstens-trained Lady In Pink who will now be stepped up in trip for a race at Flemington. Lady In Pink took out the Senet Gambling Law Experts Handicap (1600m) on Saturday and will head to Flemington for a 2000m...
Timely Sandown double for Dan O’Sullivan
The Ballarat stable of Dan O’Sullivan is enjoying a purple patch of form in the metropolitan area which has included a race-to-race double at Sandown. O’Sullivan welcomed back to the winner’s enclosure Way Up High in the Sportsbet Photo Finish Handicap (2400m) before Matriarch Rose took out the Stow Solutions Handicap (1600m) on Saturday. The...
Final roll of the dice for Classic prospects at Randwick
An 1800-metre three-year-old race at Randwick is set to have a bearing on the upcoming Classic races in Queensland with the majority of runners holding a nomination for either the Oaks or Derby. Seventeen horses, four of them emergencies, have been accepted for Saturday’s Wilson Asset Management Handicap and only Invincible...
Class drop to suit Mi Rock Aly
Warrnambool-based trainer Matthew Williams is banking on a drop in grade and a return to Sandown being a winning formula for Mi Rock Aly. A Sandown winner three starts back, Mi Rock Ali runs in the Sportsbet Photo Finish Refund Handicap (2400m) on Saturday coming off the back of a last start...