Trainer John McArdle has revealed that exciting three-year-old Power Trip will be set for an appearance in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m), when he returns to racing in the 2017 Autumn Carnival.
Power Trip will be set for an appearance in the 2017 Australian Guineas at Flemington. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos
Power Trip has shown plenty of ability through his short racing tenure so far, since beating a talented field including subsequent Group 1 champion Flying Artie to the line in the Group 3 Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) on debut in November 2015.
Having missed the entire Spring Racing Carnival as a result of an unexplained sickness, McArdle is thrilled to have welcomed the Hard Spun gelding back into his Mornington base and believes that the horse could furnish into a serious miler this time in.
“He only had one run and came from last to run fourth behind Viddora and Ocean Embers and then he got sick,” McArdle told AAP.
“We’re not 100 per cent sure what it was.
“He wouldn’t eat, but his bloods and that were all right and we scoped his gut, so whether he was a little travel sick, we’re not sure.
“We gave him three months off and he’s come back a lot better for it.
“We have to get him back first and firing and if he looks like he’ll run the mile then we’ll head towards the Australian Guineas.
“After that he could possibly go on to Sydney, but if not a couple of those nice sprint races and then maybe even on to Adelaide, but we’ll be guided by how he comes back.”
Power Trip returned to the races in 2016 for a credible fourth in the Listed Blue Diamond Preview (1000m), before placing sixth in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) and an impressive fourth in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m).
Returning to the paddock for a freshen-up after placing sixth in the Group 2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) on March 12th, Power Trip was last seen finishing fourth amongst open company in the Listed Lightning Stakes (1050m) at Morphettville on July 30th.
