Brockhoff will make his racing debut in the 2015 Chairman’s Stakes at Sandown on Saturday and trainer Ciaron Maher admits that he is unsure just how much talent the Lonhro colt has.
Ciaron Maher is looking forward to the racing debut of Brockhoff in the 2015 Chairman’s Stakes at Sandown this weekend. Photo by: Daniel Costello
Brockhoff has been given three jump outs ahead of his racing debut and he impressed onlookers when he finished second behind 2015 Blue Diamond Stakes favourite Secret Agenda in a jump out over 800 metres at Caulfield on January 28 without being asked for an extra effort by jockey Nick Hall.
Maher told Racing Ahead that Brockhoff had yet to be fully tested in trackwork and he said that he was very interested to see how the two-year-old performed under race pressure in the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes (1000m) at Sandown this weekend.
“He is quiet sharply bred; he is out of a daughter of Innovation Girl,” Maher said.
“We have just brought him along slowly and he has had three jump outs and each time he has improved and been a bit sharper.
“He trialed at Sandown and sat beside Secret Agenda and was quiet good.
“Damien (Oliver) didn’t ask a lot of it and Nick was pretty similar on Brockhoff.
“We haven’t really put him under a lot of pressure at home, he has done a lot of his work on the bridle and he had a little squeeze out there at Sandown.
“He seems to have nice ability, hence why we are kicking him off in the Chairman’s.
“We haven’t really pushed the button and it will be interesting to see on Saturday.”
Brockhoff was able to take up a forward position in his jump out at Caulfield on January 28 without being hurried forward by Hall and Maher expects that the untapped colt will be towards the front of the field when he jumps from barrier six in the Chairman’s Stakes.
“He is drawn about the middle of the field and he should get a nice enough run,” Maher said.
“He seems to begin and put himself there in his jump outs.
“There is little bit more pressure on raceday, but he seems to be quiet sensible and has some ability.”
Brockhoff is currently available at 2015 Chairman’s Stakes odds of $10 with Ladbrokes Australia, while Maribyrnong Plate winner Prompt Return ($3.10) is favourite from Robert Smerdon-trained Thurlow ($4), Blue Diamond Preview runner-up Haybah ($4.40), debut winner Parcel ($7) and David Hayes-trained debutant More Than Most ($7).
