Time for another shot at Standish Handicap

He has had to wait three years, but It’Sourtime will finally get the chance to go one better in the Standish Handicap this Saturday at Flemington.

The Danny O’Brien-trained gelding will look to register a fifth straight-track success in the $200,000 Group 3.

The seven-year-old has been a staple of lower-level straight features, having won a Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap and Santa Ana Stakes Final and The Straight Six at Listed level, but his only Standish Handicap appearance was his 2022 second placing to Halvorsen.

It’sourtime caught the eye when charging home into third in the Listed Christmas Stakes (1100m) on the Caulfield Heath track on Boxing Day, which has the stable convinced he is going well enough to return to the winner’s list at his favourite track.

“That tight turning track was probably not going to be suitable to him but it was the right race to go to and the way he straightened up after rounding the bend and hit the line, we wished the race was 1150m,” O’Brien’s racing manager Jack Howard said.

“His record down the straight is super. He’s that Listed to lower-level Group 2 horse – that’s his hitting zone – and he’s got such a great record in them.

“Hopefully with a bit of luck in the Standish he can hopefully get another win down the straight.”

It’sourtime won his first two starts, at Sale and Sandown in January 2021, but his four wins since have all come on the Flemington straight.

Twenty of his 39 starts have been Headquarters with the Standish to be his first start at Flemington since a sixth placing in the Group 2 Rising Fast Stakes (1200m) on Derby Day.

The O’Brien stable has been buoyed with the way the son of Time For War has done since the Christmas Stakes.

“He had a really nice piece of work at the farm on Saturday morning and the data that we’re getting off his gallops says that he’s holding his rating, if not improving it, so we’re looking forward to the Standish,” Howard said.

It’sourtime was one of 12 initial nominations for the Standish Handicap with potential rivals including in-form Sydney speedster Iowna Merc, Perth Stakes winner Aztec Ruler, injury-plagued straight-star specialist Joyful Fortune, Godolphin’s Pereille and three-year-old Wonder Boy.