Queensland’s top three year old Sizzling will complete a short Spring campaign and go to the paddock after running in the Group 1 $500,000 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington tomorrow.
Trainer Kelso Wood has his eyes set on returning to the Gold Coast in January for the Magic Millions Carnival after Sizzling ran a gallant fourth to Driefontein in the this year’s $2m BMW Magic Millions 2yo Classic (1200m).
Sizzling will be sent for a spell after Saturday’s Coolmore Stud Stakes with Wood happy to give the Snitzel colt only two runs in Melbourne during the Spring.
At his first run this campaign Sizzling ran a bold race when a closing fourth to Snitzerland in the $250,000 Catanach’s Jewellers Blue Sapphire Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on October 13 which had Chris Munce glowing after the race.
“He ran really good,” Munce said.
“He was bit green around the corner, he sort of struggled to gallop around the bend there at Caulfield, but once he balanced up in a straight line he hit the line really well.”
“I thought his run was first class.”
Wood has Sizzling at his peak for a rematch with the Gerald Ryan trained Snitzerland and a trip to Flemington during the week to familiarise the colt with the straight track has the Brisbane trainer feeling confident.
“He’s definitely on target,” Wood said.
“We jumped him out up the straight and he went along well.”
“The experience has been very important for him, he had a bit of a look around and has come through it very good.”
Sizzling was unbeaten in the Winter, stringing together four wins over the Brisbane Winter Carnival from 1200m to 1600m.
The then two year old was sent out the odds on favourite in the Group 1 $500,000 Patinack Farm T J Smith (1600m) at Eagle Farm on June 9 and put in a huge finishing burst to overpower the Gai Waterhouse trained Kabayan.
That win followed a victory in the Group 2 $250,000 Al Basti Equiworld BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm the week before coming from well back in the field to run down Academus from the Peter Snowden stable.
Apart from coming up against Snitzerland again, the John Thompson trained Nechita will also be one of the hardest for Sizzling to beat.
Nechita is having her first run since being beaten in the Group 1 $1m Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on September 15 when the Fastnet Rock filly was sent out favourite after winning the Group 3 $125,000 Coolmore Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Warwick Farm on August 25 the start before.
Christian Reith gave Nechita every chance in the Golden Rose but the colts proved too strong on the day and ended up in sixth spot behind the stablemates Epaulette and Albrecht.
Nechita has come up the early favourite in the Coolmore Stud Stakes at $3.60 just in front of Snitzerland at $4 while Sizzling is next in the betting at $4.80.
