Edwards Confident Sertorius Can Run Well Fresh In Blamey Stakes

Sertorius will return to the races in the 2015 Blamey Stakes at Flemington this weekend and co-trainer Jamie Edwards is hopeful that the talented stayer can perform well fresh in the Group 2 event.

Sertorius will only have a short preparation during the 2015 Melbourne Festival Of Racing. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Sertorius will only have a short preparation during the 2015 Melbourne Festival Of Racing. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Sertorius has generally produced his best form over staying trips, but the Galileo gelding has a surprisingly strong first-up record and he finished a close second behind Moment Of Change in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) last autumn.

Edwards said that he has attempted to keep some speed in the legs of Sertorius ahead of his return to racing and he is confident that the seven-year-old will hit the line strongly in the 2015 Blamey Stakes on Saturday.

“He is in really good nick,” Edwards told Racing Ahead.

“He seems to get back and hammer home and he has run blinders of races over 1400 first-up.

“We are going to give him a crack at the mile first-up and kept some speed in his legs.

“As long as there is a nice, genuine speed on Saturday then he will be hitting the line really hard.”

Sertorius performed well without winning in races like the Blamey Stakes, Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m), Group 1 The BMW (2400m) and Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) during his autumn campaign last year, but he failed to perform at his best during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival and he was sent back to the spelling paddock after he finished eighth in the Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m) on October 22.

Edwards has been adamant since the end of last year that he would only give Sertorius a very light autumn preparation and he confirmed that the Group 2 winner would likely only have more start this campaign after running in the Blamey Stakes this weekend.

“We are going to have a very limited autumn with him, he struggled in the spring after having a big autumn,” Edwards said.

“We will see how he goes on Saturday.

“He might have one more run or he may not.

“I’m just a little mindful of an older horse that is spending too much time in the paddock because they can go off pretty quick.

“He raced against the very best horses in the land last autumn and when he came back in the spring he was just a little bit flat.

“He was a different horse and we don’t want that to happen again.

“Realistically we are going to have one more crack at the spring again and we don’t want to overtax the horse.

“We will take it one week at a time.”

Sertorius is currently available at 22015 Blamey Stakes odds of $10 and is on the fourth line of betting with Ladbrokes behind Suavito ($2.30), Smokin’ Joey ($4.60) and Guest Of Honour ($9).

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.