Yesterday’s Canterbury winners Honorius and Sherocksmyworld look likely to clash in Brisbane during the Winter Carnival.
Both David Payne and Gai Waterhouse have nominated their two year old for the Group 1 $500,000 Patinack Farm T J Smith (1600m) at Eagle Farm on June 9.
Waterhouse teamed up again with Nash Rawiller to continue their winning run when Sherocksmyworld finished hard to take out the 1100m two year old Handicap.
Rawiller and Waterhouse dominated the Sydney Autumn Carnival winning seven Group 1s – Pierro taking out the two year old Triple Crown, More Joyous winning the Queen Of The Turf, The Doncaster Mile and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Laser Hawk scoring in the Rosehill Guineas.
Sherocksmyworld scored her first win from three starts but Waterhouse is confident the Fastnet Rock filly has the potential to win in top company and has no reservations in heading to Brisbane for the Winter.
“I think she’s always been above average,” Waterhouse said.
“She ran behind Epaulette at Rosehill one time. She’s a really good filly in the making.”
“The TJ is what I’ve nominated her for and I’d love to see her there.”
Rawiller wasn’t sure if Sherocksmyworld would be at her best over 1600m but has complete faith in Waterhouse to prepare her for the journey.
“I wouldn’t say a mile is going to be her best trip but I’m not going to say you can’t do it. I know how good you are,” Rawiller told Waterhouse after Wednesday’s race.
Payne can’t wait to step Honorius up in distance after the colt broke through for an overdue win after a frustrating Autumn.
“I think he’s going to be a nice horse once he gets over the 2000,” Payne said.
“We always thought that he’s not a bad sort so I think he’s going to win a decent race.”
“His last start you can put a pencil through he can’t handle the mud so in future we won’t be running him on a heavy track.”
Payne dropped the Holy Roman Empire colt back to maiden class yesterday after testing him in some tough company over the Autumn but now with a win under his belt he is looking for some improvement over the next month.
Honorius finished just behind the placegetters when fifth in both the Group 3 $125,000 Hyland Race Colours Skyline Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on March 17 and Group 3 $125,000 The Schweppervescence (1400m) at Rosehill on April 7.
And he wasn’t disgrace when seventh, beaten just over two lengths by Dear Demi in the Listed Medina Apartment Hotels Fernhill Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on April 21.
Top jockey Glyn Schofield said the solid pace of the race set up by Blake Shinn on Fiveandahalfstar was made to order and Honorius was able to work home over top of the leader.
“I rode him the other day on the wet ground and he wasn’t at home at all in it,” Schofield said.
“He was a little bit slow away and struggled the whole way, but today on the firmer surface he got a better grip on it and he’ll go a little bit further as well I would say.”
Payne also collected a Group 1 win over the Carnival with Master Of Design taking out the $1m Darley T J Smith (1200m) at Randwick on April 14 and is hoping for more Group 1 success with this colt in Brisbane.
