Sertorius has only been back in work for just over a week but trainer Bruce Elkington already has the rapidly improving miler working towards the Group 1 2013 Toorak Handicap(1600m).
Sertorius will be targeted at the Toorak Handicap. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
The son of Galileo was one of the revelations of the 2012 Spring Racing Carnival, recording five straights wins that culminated with a victory at Flemington on Emirates Stakes Day.
Sertorius began his campaign with a victory in a lowly rated race at Ararat before going on to score his first city win in the Sportingbet Handicap (2012) at Moonee Valley in October.
After a dominant victory at Caulfield he stepped up in class to salute in the Sale Cup (1600m) as well as the Antler Luggage Handicap (2000m) at Flemington.
The five-year-old gelding failed to see out the distance in the Ballarat Cup (2200m) and after a brief spell returned to the races with a second place finish behind Budriguez in the Group 3 Victoria Handicap (1400m).
Elkington was delighted with Sertorius’s performance during his brief Autumn Carnival campaign and said the gelding is in excellent condition.
“He has been back in work for about 10 days or so now and he’s come back in terrific order,” Elkington told Racing Victoria.
“He had a good break after his terrific run in the Victoria Handicap at Caulfield and we couldn’t be happier with the horse.
“We brought him back in with the intention of giving him that one run in the Victoria Handicap and then a nice little break which the horse has had, and now full steam ahead for the spring.”
The progressive galloper won over a variety of distances last year but Elkington plans to limit him to a mile for his 2013 Spring Racing campaign.
“At this stage we’ve pencilled in the Bobbie Lewis Quality at Flemington as his possible first-up run and then he’ll probably get a 1400 metre run under his belt,” the Geelong-based trainer said.
“The main aim at this stage is the Toorak Handicap with him, it looks a lovely race for him at 1600m, he’ll get in reasonably down in the weights and he’s a very good miler.”
Elkington, and training partner Jamie Edwards, have been extremely patient with the late—developer and believe their big reward is just around the corner.
“We’ve always been of the opinion that he would get better the older he got and it’s certainly paying dividends now,” Elkington said.
