Talented Kiwi entire El Roca will arrive in Australia this Saturday ahead his return to racing in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on August 16.
El Roca is on track to return to racing in the Regal Roller Stakes at Caulfield next Saturday. Photo by: Steve Hart
El Roca has been back at the stable of Trent Busuttin since June 1 and the rising New Zealand-based trainer told Racing Ahead this morning that the son of Fastnet Rock was in outstanding condition ahead of his 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign.
“He has come up good and he has probably come up a lot quicker than we thought this time in,” Busuttin said.
“We have brought his campaign forward by three weeks and he will be on a plane on Saturday night over to Australia and head towards the Regal Roller Stakes first-up.
“We are staying at Russell Cameron’s Flemington boxes where most of the Kiwis normally stay for the Carnival.
“There is a good set-up there and I am looking forward to it.
“He is at the same stage.
“He is probably going to try tomorrow just depending on weather conditions and he will be there for a very easy day out.
“If he doesn’t trial and the bad weather comes it won’t affect him and he will be primed to go first-up.”
El Roca will return to Group 1 level for the Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 30 and his performance in what is set to be a very tough race will determine what path he follows for the remainder of his spring campaign.
Busuttin said that El Roca could be freshened up for a tilt at races like the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on October 24 if he wins the Memsie Stakes or could return to Caulfield for the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) on September 28, but is unlikely to step-up to a mile during his spring preparation.
“It is a bit of an unknown and he is probably a bit suspect at a mile,” Busuttin said.
“He really hasn’t had a chance to put his best forward form; in the Caulfield Guineas and the wet track of a Doncaster he didn’t get to show his best, but he did range up in the Randwick Guineas and look the winner but he didn’t get across the line.
“Probably the way I am thinking at this stage is that we will be keeping him to the 1200 and 1400s, but he will guide us as he goes along.”
Busuttin is desperate to win a Group 1 with El Roca during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival after he was placed at the highest level of racing in both the Group 1 Royal Randwick Guineas (1600m) and Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) during the 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
