Speediness will resume in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick next Saturday after impressing trainer Colin Scott with his performance in a barrier trial at Sandown this morning.
Speediness finished second behind Group 1 placegetter Smokin' Joey in a barrier trial over 800 metres at Sandown this morning.
Speediness took part in the fourth trial over 800 metres on the new Sandown surface and was kept under a heavy hold by Luke Nolen, but was still able to work home strongly to finish second behind Smokin’ Joey.
Scott told TVN that he was delighted with the performance of Speediness in the trial and said that it was all systems go towards a possible clash with Boban in the Expressway Stakes next weekend.
“He was very impressive to my eye,” Scott said.
“The horse who beat us was under a lot of pressure but my bloke was being well held by Luke.
“Luke came back and was really happy and as long as he pulls up OK he’ll be on a float to Sydney tomorrow night.”
The Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Royal Randwick on April 12 is the major 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival target for Speediness, but Scott said he has not ruled out a crack at the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) the following weekend.
Speediness has only had one race start over 2000 metres, finishing seventh behind More Joyous in the 2012 edition of the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, but Scott is confident the son of Testa Rossa can perform well if given an opportunity in the $4 million event.
“If you can get a run in the race of course we’ll run in it,” Scott said.
“Last year (2012) he ran in the Queen Elizabeth and finished six lengths behind More Joyous, and he wasn’t going as well then.”
Speediness is yet to record a win at Group 1 level, but he was one of the most consistent performers over a mile during the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival.
The six-year-old resumed with a win in the Group 3 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) at Flemington on September 7 and narrowly missed the placings in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) and Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) before finishing an unlucky second behind Toydini in the Group 2 Crystal Mile (1600m).
He was well backed in the lead-up to the Group 1 Emirates Stakes (1600m) and looked the winner with 100 metres left to run, but he was caught in the final stages of the race by Boban and Smokin’ Joey.
