A telling trial for Wesley
VETERAN sprinter I’m Wesley takes another small step towards his attempt to notch his fourth Newmarket Handicap when he steps out in a trial at Longford on Tuesday.
The Glenn Stevensontrained nine-year-old notched his third Newmarket in succession in 2019 and ended his prep with a third in the weight-for-age Thomas Lyons at Elwick three months later.
He hasn’t started since his Thomas Lyon placing, but Stevenson says another trial or two will give him a better idea on whether his star sprinter will make it to his fourth Newmarket Handicap.
“Wes is coming along nicely, but I’m still not sure if he will get to another Newmarket,” Stevenson said.
I’m Wesley snared the Newmarket-weight-for-age Conquering Stakes (1400m) double two years in a row and Stevenson confirmed the Conquering is another target.
Stevenson also will aim his top three-year-old sprinter from last season, War Correspondent, at the Newmarket, which promises to be one of the best in years.
Stevenson’s star two-yearold from last season, Turk Warrior, has been back in work for over two months, with the $100,000 3YO Cup his likely first-up assignment in Launceston on December 1.
“I’ll most likely trial Turk Warrior in Launceston at the end of this month,” he said.
“He’s had a couple of gallops and looks really good and happy to be back in work.”
Turk Warrior is unbeaten from six starts, which netted the gelded son of Outreach almost $300,000 in stakes last season.
There were some verbal offers from Hong Kong interests to buy the gelding for an estimated $700,000, but when Stevenson applied the pressure for a commitment, the inquiries went cold.
The gelding’s owner Seyit Basol bought two at this year’s Tasmanian Magic Millions Yearling sale and he said both were showing great promise.
SPREYTON trainer Liandra Gray may have picked up a decent money-spinner in former Victorian mare Bondi Tiff, which opened her Tasmanian account with a maiden win in Launceston last Wednesday night.
Bondi Tiff (DalakhaniBondi Girl) arrived at Gray’s stables in July and had her first two starts on the synthetic in Devonport for subpar efforts, but the opposition at this latest outing was modest, to say the least.
Georgie Catania partnered Bondi Tiff in Launceston and she said the lightly-raced sixyear-old mare could win a couple this preparation placed in the right races.
THOROUGHBRED racing moves to Launceston on Friday night for a meeting that corresponds with the Manikato Stakes meeting at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate eve.
The meeting will receive Sky 1 coverage as well as Sky Thoroughbred Central from race two onwards, which will include pre-race and post-race interviews. STC will cover all Tasmanian night meetings for the rest of the year and selected meetings in 2022.