Veteran trainer Leon Macdonald has revealed that he would not mind seeing tough gelding Daytona Grey take up the running in the Group 3 Spring Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville on Saturday.
Daytona Grey is chasing his maiden win at Group level in the Spring Stakes at Morphettville this weekend. Photo by: Jenny Barnes
There does not appear to be a great deal of early speed in the Spring Stakes, with only nine runners in the field for the Group 3 event and after analysing a potential speed map, McDonald told Racing Ahead that he would not mind if jockey Jason Holder took up the running on Daytona Grey in the early stages of the race.
“He will definitely be on speed and he could even be the leader in the race,” McDonald said.
“I went through it last night and there doesn’t look to be any natural leader in the race who has led and won before.
“As long as he isn’t going to hard I would not mind seeing him in front.”
Daytona Grey started his winter campaign with a couple of second places finishes on the Morphettville Parks track on May 24 and June 14 and was from disgraced when he finished fifth behind Vain Queen in a heat of the All Victorian Sprint Series (1100m) at Flemington on June 28 .
The Artie Schiller gelding returned to winning form with a comfortable two lengths victory in the Holdfast Insurance Handicap (1100m) at Morphettville on July 5 and finished a close third behind Mr Good Cat and Mr Chard in the Programmed Property Services Handicap (1100m) at the same venue on July 26.
McDonald admitted that he was disappointed with the performance of Daytona Grey in the Programmed Property Services Handicap, but he is confident that the five-year-old can return to his best form in the Spring Stakes this weekend.
“I think that he has progressed well,” McDonald said.
“I thought that he was a little bit disappointing last run after his previous run where he won very easily.
“He just didn’t quiet let down and he had a bit of a flat run.
“He has done well since and I don’t know if he is a weight-for-age horse, but probably apart from Happy Trails none of the others are anyway.
“I think that he will run very well.”
Daytona Grey is currently available at Spring Stakes odds of $7.50 in the betting market at Ladbrokes Australia; with Happy Trails ($2.60) a narrow favourite from Riziz ($2.80) and Karacatis ($4.80).
