Wait at end for ’Garter

RENOWNED for his precision, Danny O’Brien admits to flying blind with injury-ravaged import Orderofthegarter as the trainer chases Flemington premiership success on Saturday.

Trailing Lindsay Park 15-16 on the Flemington trainers’ table, O’Brien’s title hopes rest with Orderofthegarter and longshot chance Rapid Romance in the three-year-old handicap over 1600m.

Orderofthegarter is hard to assess because the gelding has been off the scene for so long.

“He’s had one run in three years, so whatever questions there are about him, they’ll be answered tomorrow,” O’Brien said on Friday.

“There’s nothing in mind for him (in terms of future races) because he hasn’t raced for so long.

“He’s high quality, a good style of horse, and he came to us very sound.

“He’s been bombproof in everything he’s done for us but we’ll know a lot more about him tomorrow.”

Owned by Lloyd Williams, Orderofthegarter was trained by Aidan O’Brien, stamping himself as a gifted galloper in Ireland in 2017.

The son of Galileo won a 1600m maiden by 11 lengths on heavy ground, then beat dual Group 2 Zipping Classic winner The Taj Mahal by almost four lengths in the 2000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown.

He finished second at Royal Ascot to high-class Benbatl, who was second to Winx in the 2018 Cox Plate after winning the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes.

But since arriving in Australia, the now six-year-old has run only once — a close second to Furrion in a 1700m handicap in September 2018.

Orderofthegarter has been in work since March, building fitness at Thirteenth Beach.

“He had a jumpout at Moonee Valley a month ago and went well,” O’Brien said.

He has drawn barrier six, will be ridden Damien Oliver and is a TAB $5 chance in the open handicap (1600m).

After a season highlighted by Vow And Declare’s Melbourne Cup triumph, O’Brien has the chance to overtake the Flemington tally built by Lindsay Park’s former training partnership of David Hayes, Tom Dabernig and Ben Hayes.

Lindsay Park leads the metropolitan trainers’ premiership by nine from Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.