Trainer Mick Price has revealed that talented colt Cornrow is still on track to contest the Group 3 Vain Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on August 16 despite being found with discharge in his nose yesterday morning.
Cornrow was narrowly denied a race win on debut in the Inglis Banner by Silversands. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Cornrow was set to contest a jump out with stablemate Jabali on the course proper, but he was given a day off after the discharge was found in his nostril when he walked out of his stable in the morning.
Price told TVN that there was nothing wrong with Cornrow and he confirmed that the Duporth colt would return to the races in the Vain Stakes as he builds towards a return to Group 1 level in the Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on September 13.
“He will be fine,” Price said.
I’ve got next week up my sleeve with him; there is nothing wrong, I just didn’t want to test him this morning.
“The plan is to still head towards the Vain Stakes first-up and then run again on August 30 in the McNeil before he goes to Sydney for the Golden Rose.”
Cornrow was unable to record a race win during in his seven starts as a juvenile, but was a consistent performer at the highest level of racing and he is rated one of the leading chances for both the Golden Rose and Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m).
The son of Duporth made his racing debut with a third place finish behind Silversands in the Inglis Banner (1000m) at Moonee Valley on October 26 and after a stint in the spelling paddock he returned to the races in the Listed Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) at Caulfield on January 25 before finishing fifth in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) at fortnight later.
Cornrow went into the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at the big odds of $60 with Ladbrokes Australia, but he made up plenty of ground late to finish third behind Earthquake and Jabali.
He was given a brief freshen-up after the Blue Diamond Stakes before returning to the races with another placing in the Group 2 Todman Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 2 and he produced the worst performance of his career to date in the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) a fortnight later before returning to his best form with a third place finish in the Group 1 Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick during The Championships.
Price is yet to settle on a jockey for Cornrow in the Vain Stakes; with stable rider Craig Newitt set to partner Nordic Empire in the Group 3 event.
