Trainer Stephen Theodore is happy with Don’t Get Excited going into Heat Eight of the 2014 All Victorian Sprint Seriesat Flemington on Saturday, but he believes the consistent gelding will take some improvement out of the run heading into the final of the series at the same venue a fortnight later.
Don't Get Excited will be chasing his second straight win when he runs at Flemington this weekend. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Don’t Get Excited recorded the first race win of his winter preparation when he took out the Golden Topaz (1200m) at Swan Hill on June 6 in impressive fashion and Theodore told Racing Ahead that he had given the Elvstroem gelding a brief freshen-up following the victory.
The form coming out of the Golden Topaz has been strong, with runner-up Lonhspresso finishing five and a half lengths behind the winner in the Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) last weekend, and Theodore is confident that Don’t Get Excited will give another good account of himself on Saturday.
“He is well,” Theodore said.
“Swan Hill was the peak goal for him this preparation and he achieved that goal and he was well rewarded when he returned home with a couple of light days and a little freshen-up.
“We get ready to go to battle again tomorrow heading into the final.
“I’m sure that from what we what we do at Flemington tomorrow we still have some improvement heading into the final and the horse doesn’t know how to run a bad race, so we are going to be in it for a long way.”
Don’t Get Excited will be having his first start down the famous Flemington straight since he finished fourth in the Listed Kensington Stakes (1000m) earlier this year and Theodore is happy to give the four-year-old another look at the straight before he contests the Listed All Victorian Sprint Series Final (1200m) at Flemington on July 12.
“He had one run down the straight for me and he ran fourth and it was the first race in years when they all went to the outside and we drew one,” Theodore said.
“It was a tremendous run by the horse and with the final being at Flemington again, I wanted to give him another run down the straight for experience.
“He has drawn the outside and the wind will play a big part in where we go, but he is just such an adaptable animal and Chris has a good niche with him now.”
Don’t Get Excited is currently available at odds of $7 in the All Victorian Sprint Series Heat 8 betting market at Ladbrokes Australia; with The Thief ($4.40) and Vain Queen ($4.40) currently battling for favouritism.
