Xtravagant’s future on trial
A left-handed Cranbourne trial next Monday will decide Xtravagant’s future.
The Te Akau entire has earned a reprieve after disgracing himself on Saturday.
A return home was considered for the Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards-trained galloper after he got himself worked up prerace and ran poorly in the Bobbie Lewis Quality.
The 4-year-old paraded in the birdcage with his mind clearly on the breeding barn and not his job racing down the Flemington straight six.
Jockey Damien Oliver eased the horse out of the race when he failed to respond to his riding.
Oliver questioned whether Xtravagant struggled with the straight style of racing or he had his mind on other things.
Autridge was left scratching his head.
‘‘Everyone knows the straight six for the first time is a worry,’’ he said.
‘‘Everything checked out okay after the race.
‘‘He’s paraded like that before and still raced up to his best.
‘‘We had a meeting this morning [Monday] and if his blood tests come back alright, we have decided to trial him next Monday.
‘‘He can have a trip on the float and a trial and we can work out what we do after that.
‘‘If he trials okay he will stay, if not he comes home.’’
All going well the Te Akau team of Autridge, Richards and David Ellis will then map a suitable race for him over 1200m or 1400m.
‘‘Whatever suits him best,’’ Autridge said.
It’s been a testing Melbourne campaign for Autridge who was at Sandown last Wednesday confident Shillelagh would perform well in her Australian debut.
The meeting was abandoned at Sandown Lakeside because horses slipped on turning for home in the three races run.
The setback hasn’t unduly worried the Savabeel mare’s trainer.
‘‘She had a trip to the races without any stress or excitement which is good for any horse,’’ he said.
‘‘Her work has been good and she will run at Caulfield on Saturday hopefully with Damien Oliver in the saddle.’’
The race is a Benchmark 78 over 1200m with the plan including future fillies and mares black-type features.