Trainer Robbie Laing has revealed that Lord Of The Sky is unlikely to contest the 2015 All Aged Stakes at Royal Randwick and could head to the spelling paddock for a break ahead of a 2015 Spring Racing Carnival campaign.
Lord Of The Sky was narrowly beaten by Chautauqua in the 2015 T.J. Smith Stakes at Royal Randwick yesterday. Photo by: Steve Hart
Laing said before the Group 1 T.J. Smith Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on Monday that he was keen to back Lord Of The Sky up in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m), but he said this morning that the Danerich entire may have earnt a stint in the spelling paddock following his impressive second place finish behind Chautauqua in the Group 1 event yesterday.
“The worst thing I can do now is panic and throw him in something for the sake of it,” Laing said.
“I might bring him home and go to the Sir John Monash, the Bletchingly and go to where I was going to go last year and really have a go at the Memsie.
“It will be up to the horse, he is a very immature four-year-old and we will just look after him.”
Lord Of The Sky stamped himself as a horse to follow when he produced some amazing sectionals after starting his racing career with three wins from four starts, but he has been an inconsistent performer since and has been beaten as a short-priced favourite on a number of occasions.
Laing has always maintained his faith that Lord Of The Sky was capable of recording a win at the highest level of racing and he told Racing Ahead this morning that he was delighted to see the four-year-old mute his critics with his outstanding T.J. Smith Stakes effort.
“He put them away quickly topping the rise and Ollie said after the race that was probably the downfall of the horse because it was his first time at Randwick and he was in front for a long way up that long straight and he said that he lost concentration,” Laing said.
“He was actually veering in and out reaching the winning post and the other horse came from nowhere late to grab him.
“It was a terrific effort and I think that he is well on his way to being what he promised 12 months ago.
“He has won nearly $1 million in Stakes money from humble beginnings and we love the horse.
“He sprinted with the best in the world, he was right there with them and he is getting better.
“He has been in the stable for over 12 months without a holiday and I think when he comes back after having a break he will win that elusive Group 1.”
