Joe Pride has Terravista and Tiger Tees in the 2015 Darley Classic field and the leading Sydney trainer is happy with both horses ahead of the Group 1 event at Flemington on Saturday.
Terravista has the chance to upstage Chautauqua again in the 2015 Darley Classic. Photo by: Sarah Ebbett
Terravista stamped himself as a genuine Group 1 contender when he took out the Darley Classic 12 months ago and he started his 2015 Spring Racing Carnival campaign with a narrow win in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on October 3 before he had no luck whatsoever in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on October 23.
Pride said that he was frustrated Terravista never really had a run in the Manikato Stakes, but he is delighted with the physical condition of the Captain Rio gelding and he believes that his star sprinter will be much better suited in the 2015 Darley Classic.
“He didn’t really travel that well on the inside there,” Pride said.
“He jumped well, put himself in a position, but it is obviously a tight-turning track and he never really balanced up.
“By the time he did get balanced up there was nowhere for him to go.
“It wasn’t a tough run for him, far from it and he has come out of it really well.
“He comes into Saturday’s race at peak condition after three trials and a couple of runs.
“I am very happy with the horse and my biggest concern at the moment would be about the track.
“Hugh is a big positive on this horse and he just understands him so well.
“Just being back at Flemington as opposed to Moonee Valley is a big advantage for him.
“He is a much better horse when he is at a big track and I am very excited.”
Tiger Tees looked as though he may have seen better days after he failed to beat home a runner in two race starts during the 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, but he has performed credibly in both the Premiere Stakes and the Manikato Stakes.
Pride was very impressed with the toughness that Tiger Tees showed in the Manikato Stakes and he is confident that the Dubawi gelding can produced another strong effort in the 2015 Darley Classic.
“He didn’t have any luck at all,” Pride said.
“The plan was to go forward and try to slot in, but he was just trapped three wide with no cover the whole run.
“I thought that he was quite brave and he loves a soft track – he is a three or four lengths better horse on a wet track.
“He has drawn in the middle, so he will probably get to go whenever he needs to go on that track.”
Terravista is currently available at 2015 Darley Classic odds of $8 with Ladbrokes, while Tiger Tees is the extreme outsider of the field at $81.
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