Weather on the side of Verdad at Flemington races

Verdad is set to return to Flemington on Saturday in The David Bourke (1620m) with the forecast finally turning in his favour after recent setbacks.

The Robbie Griffiths-trained gelding was scratched from earlier engagements at Flemington and Sandown due to rain-affected tracks but is now expected to take his place on firmer footing rated a Good 4.

At his last start, Verdad was slow to begin and had to settle further back than usual before working home for third at Caulfield behind Jimmy The Bear.

“He was good at Caulfield. He missed the start, I don’t know why, and it changed the game plan for us,” Griffiths said.

“We wanted to be one-one, and he ended up out the back and that is not his style, so he did a good job to run third and he would have got benefit from that as he hadn’t had a run for a while.”

With a soft jump-out under his belt on Monday and a three-week break between runs, Griffiths believes Verdad is primed for another strong performance—weather permitting.

“This time he’s three weeks between runs which is good for him after a soft jump-out on Monday, and he’s back to Flemington, where he won and you would think he would be a chance, but the weather is the key,” he said.

Although winter racing brings its challenges, Griffiths says Verdad is in superb condition and thriving in work.

“He’s been in work a while, but when you see him in the yard, he’s in great condition, as though he is in summer,” Griffiths said.

“If the rains do come, this could be his last run for a while.”

Future plans include a possible start in the VRC-CRV Winter Championship Series Final (1600m) or aiming toward country features like the Seymour and Sale Cups, depending on how he performs.

“He’s got the opportunity at the moment to run between benchmark 100’s, open handicaps, a Listed Country Cup, like the Seymour and Sale Cups, and then he could have a crack at a couple of races over the spring,” Griffiths said.

“He could be an ideal horse going to the Crystal Mile at The Valley into the Cranbourne Cup, but all that would be dependent on his form at the time, and the weather.”