Trainer Jamie Edwards has revealed that Sertorius is no certainty to contest the 2014 Sydney Cup at Royal Randwick on Saturday; with connections unlikely to run the talented stayer on a heavy track.
Sertorius could be sent to the spelling paddock rather than contest the 2014 Sydney Cup at Royal Randwick this weekend. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Sertorius finished fourth behind proven wet-tracker The Offer in the Group 2 Chairman’s Handicap (2600m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday and the son of Galileo clearly did not relish the heavy conditions on the rain affected track.
Edwards told TVN that Sertorius had come out of his second run in as many weeks in good condition, but said that he, along with training partner Bruce Elkington, would analyse the condition of the Randwick track before deciding whether or not to start their star galloper in the 2014 Sydney Cup.
“We will press on to the Sydney Cup, but if the tracks is going to be similar to what it was Saturday we’ll have to consider whether we run him,” Edwards said.
“If the track is a Slow 7 or something like that we will run and I think he will go well; we got found out on a real bottomless heavy track yesterday.
“I think we get in well in the Sydney Cup, just two kilos over the minimum and it is a massive drop from what he carried yesterday, but if it’s going to be bottomless again we don’t really need to risk the horse.
“The spring is what it is all about for us.
“We have looked after the horse all his life, we won’t be flogging him on a bottomless track.”
Sertorius started his autumn preparation with a narrow second behind Moment Of Change in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 22 and the race was not run to suit when he finished third in the Group 2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on March 8.
The Galileo gelding battled home bravely to finish fifth in the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) and produced one of the best performances of his career to date to finish fourth behind Silent Achiever, It’s A Dundeel and Fiorente in the Group 1 The BMW (2400m) at Rosehill Gardens on April 5 before finishing fourth last weekend.
The Offer ($2.80) is currently a clear favourite in 2014 Sydney Cup betting markets from imported Irish stayer Voleuse De Coeurs ($7), while Sertorius is on the third line of betting at a quote of $7.50.
