Trainer Chris Waller has confirmed that Kermadec is likely to return to racing in the 2015 Warwick Stakes at Royal Randwick on August 22.
Kermadec is set to start his 2015 Spring Racing Carnival campaign in the Warwick Stakes. Photo by: Steve Hart
Kermadec was given his second quite trial over 840 metres at Royal Randwick this morning and he finished sixth behind Vancouver without being asked for an extra effort by jockey Glyn Schofield.
Waller believes that Kermadec is now ready to return to the races and he could contest the Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick next weekend, but he said that he will save the Teofilo entire for the Group 2 Warwick Stakes (1400m) so that he will still be at his peak when he gets to races like the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Royal Randwick on October 3 and the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 24.
“He is very good,” Waller told Sky Racing HQ.
“We just gave him an easy time and he is still three weeks away from resuming in what is likely to be the Warwick Stakes.
“It was his second trial and he could basically run next weekend in the Missile if we wanted, but I just see that as being one extra run and if we did get beyond a race like the Epsom and look towards the Cox Plate he would be looking for a bit of time out before he gets to the big race.
“I think we will just sit on him and wait with another three weeks up his sleeves.”
Waller had five gallopers trial at Royal Randwick this morning, but Holy Delusions was the only horse to finish in the placings and the majority of his horses were given a very easy time.
The leading Sydney trainer admits that he never asks his horses to do a great deal in barrier trials, but he is adamant that his charges are fit enough when they head to the races first-up.
“Every trainer is different with how they trial them and it is pretty obvious that we don’t do a lot with ours,” Waller said.
“We certainly make sure that they are wound up for race day and we keep building on them through the preparation.
“There is not much prizemoney paid out from today’s trials.”
Kermadec is currently available at 2015 Cox Plate odds of $13 with Ladbrokes and he is on the sixth line of betting behind Able Friend ($9), Contributer ($9), Criterion ($9), Pornichet ($10) and Arod ($11).
