Deltason to end campaign on a winning high in 2025 WA Sires Produce Stakes
Meryl Hayley’s patience with Deltason could be rewarded at Ascot on Saturday as the juvenile prepares to contest the Group 3 WA Sires Produce Stakes (1400m), the final big race of the season for two-year-olds in Western Australia.
Deltason was denied a run in both the Perth Stakes (1100m) and Karrakatta Plate (1200m), missing the latter on prize money eligibility, but bounced back with a convincing maiden win over 1400m late last month.
“We were really looking forward to the 1400m,” Hayley told Tabradio.
“Like everyone else we knew he would get the trip and it was good to get him across the line to be honest.
“We were just praying there were no more barrier disasters with the horse.
“He’s been to the races a couple of times and not managed to get around.
“Every time he goes in the gates and comes out of them, we’re happy.
“Obviously we earmarked the Karrakatta and Sires with him but we just dipped out not having that run in the Perth Stakes.
“We’ll never know and it’s upwards and onwards, we just had to change tack through the prep and take a different route, and we still made it.”
The gelding will jump from barrier seven in a compact nine-runner field, and Hayley expects a similar run to his last, tracking midfield before finishing off with a burst.
“He’ll obviously settle a couple of pairs back like he did last start and hopefully be hitting the line,” she said.
“He’s fit as a fiddle and it’s a matter of keeping him mentally happy.”
Jockey Laqdar Ramoly is again aboard, and Hayley is already eyeing spring targets such as the WA Guineas (1600m) as potential goals next campaign.
“Oh, absolutely,” Hayley said.
“Even Laqdar says the further the better.
“He’s such a quiet horse that settles really well.
“He’s never been flighty or over races.
“After Saturday he’ll go for a long break, and we’ll bring him back for some of the feature races as a three-year-old.”
Among the opposition, Hayley expects Just Too Fly—runner-up in key lead-ups—and Fila Mia to provide a stern challenge in what shapes as a competitive edition of the Sires.
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