Smart three year old Sebring Sun remains the shot priced favourite for the Group 3 $125,000 Up and Coming Stakes (1300m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Sebring Sun remains the favourite for the Up And Coming Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
The Gary Portelli trained Sebring Sun is chasing a hat trick of wins in the Up And Coming Stakes and is the top pick with Ladbrokes.com.au at $2.60.
The Sebring colt raced below his potential during the Sydney Autumn Carnival but has returned from a spell for a win in a 1200m Canterbury two year old Maiden on July 29 followed by a win in the Listed $100,000 The Rosebud (1200m) at Randwick on August 8.
Portelli has his eyes set on gaining a start in the Group 1 $1m De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on September 12 and a win on the weekend would boost his prizemoney and lift his order of entry for Sydney’s first Group 1 of the new season.
Sebring Sun is currently listed in twenty-fifth position with $114,125 in eligible earnings and Saturday’s winning cheque of $75,000 should be enough to elevate him into the top sixteen qualifiers for the Golden Rose.
Portelli has reported that Sebring Sun has come through his win in the Rosebud in great shape and is expecting him to handle the step up to 1300m without a problem.
“The way he won last time he looks to me as if he won’t have a problem,” Portelli told the Sportsman.
“He has got to improve again, he goes up to 1300 metres and it is going to be a nice little test again for him this weekend to make sure he runs that out and if he does obviously we will take the big step and have a crack at the Group 1 with him.”
Hugh Bowman was aboard Sebring Sun for his Canterbury win and is back in the saddle this week after missing the win in The Rosebud when Brenton Avdulla held the reins.
The Gary Nickson trained Voilier ran second to Sebring in The Rosebud and is listed at $5.50 for the rematch while the John O’Shea trained Shards is sandwiched in between at $5.
Cannyescent heads the remainder of the field at $6 ahead of Inner Circle at $9, Tatoosh at $13, Man Of Choice at $15 and Land’s End at $17
