Australian Guineas winner Wandjina will be tuned up for his assault on the Group 1 £500,000 Diamond Jubilee Stakes (6 furlongs) at Royal Ascot in England on June 20 with two barrier trials at Randwick.
Wandjina will head to Royal Ascot to run in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes. Photo by Adrienne Bicknell.
Racing manager for Wandjina, James Harron, said that the Snitzel colt was looking in great shape since running second to Dissident in the Group 1 $400,000 Schweppes All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on April 18 and Gai Waterhouse will trial him at Randwick twice in May before flying out on June 3.
“Gai just had him ticking over nicely. Planning on giving him two trials at Randwick on the 8th of May and the 22nd of May before he boards his flight on the 3rd of June,” Harron told Sky Racing HQ.
“We sat down and had a discussion what the path forward for him, had a good look at him on Sunday and he looked terrific.”
“Gai has him in unbelievable order so he will stay in the Randwick stable. He will have the two trials at headquarters before he heads to Melbourne for the flight.”
Waterhouse had always had a high opinion of Wandjina and his potential was realized when he led all of the way to win the Group 1 $500,000 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 7.
Waterhouse then returned the colt to Sydney to take on the older horses at weight for age and he performed superbly, going down by a head to the Peter Moody’s multiple Group 1 winner Dissident.
“He is very tough and he got into a dogfight with what I mostly likely to be horse of the year,” Harron said.
“Such a fantastic horse, Dissident. He really gave him a good fight.”
“He really feels like he keeps improving, Wandjina, with racing he is really learning his trade well and doing us very proud.”
Connections feel that Wandjina has earned his chance to perform on the world stage at Royal Ascot and the colt will only have the one run in the Diamond Jubilee before returning to Australia to prepare to stand his first season at stud at Newgate Farm.
“The Jubilee is the race that we feel will suit him best. A real good stiff six furlongs, that’s the number one target.”
Wandjina also performed creditably during the 2014 Melbourne Spring Carnival with a third to Shooting To Win in the Group 1 $1m BECK Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield before beaten only three and a half lengths when tenth to Adelaide in the Group 1 $3m Sportingbet Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley.
