The 2015 The Shorts field has been released and Terravista is set to return to the races in the Group 2 event that will be held at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Terravista was far too good for his rivals in the 2014 The Shorts. Photo by: Steve Hart
Terravista stamped himself as one of the best sprinters in Australia when he took out the Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m), Group 2 The Shorts (1100m) and Group 1 Darley Classic (1200m) during the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival, but he was unable to record a race win in three race starts in the autumn.
The Captain Rio gelding started his autumn preparation with a third place finish behind Brazen Beau and Chautauqua in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 14 and he replicated that finish in the Group 1 T.J. Smith Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on April 6 before he failed to fire in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) at the same venue on April 18.
Terravista showed that he was ready to return to the races after he won a barrier trial at Warwick Farm on September 11 in good style, but trainer Joe Pride revealed yesterday that he would not run the six-year-old on a heavy track.
Another Group 1 winning sprinter that is set to return to the races in The Shorts is Rebel Dane, who has not recorded a race win since he took out the 2013 edition of the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1200m).
Rebel Dane was disappointing in both the Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) and All Aged Stakes during his autumn campaign, but he underwent throat surgery during his stint in the spelling paddock.
Hot Snitzel has not has as long a stint in the spelling paddock as his rivals, but he is still set to return to the races in The Shorts this weekend.
The son of Snitzel was transferred to the care of Team Snowden following his third place finish in the Group 3 Star Kingdom Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 28 and he took out the Group 1 BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben on May 9 in his first start for his new trainer before he finished a credible fifth in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1350m) at Doomben on June 6.
Hot Snitzel will be joined in The Shorts field by stablemate That’s A Good Idea, who has not been seen at the races since she finished a close second behind Ball Of Muscle in the Group 2 QTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben on May 30.
Delectation and Rock Sturdy will also be making their return to the races for the first time since the 2015 Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival.
The most interesting runners in the 2015 The Shorts field is Tony McEvoy-trained Shiraz, who will face the toughest test of his racing career to date after recording four wins from as many starts this preparation.
Shiraz made his debut at Group level with a narrow victory in the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on August 8 and he proved that win was no fluke when he took out the Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1000m) at Royal Randwick on September 5.
Ball Of Muscle is also set to back-up in The Shorts along with David Pfieffer-trained Atmospherical.
