Henwood has to overcome wide barrier at Flemington

The John Sadler trained Henwood has to overcome a wide barrier if he is to return to the winner’s stall in the $80,000 Flemington Event Staff Handicap (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday.

Henwood will have to ovecome a wide barrier if he is to win the Flemington Event Staff Handicap at Flemington. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

Henwood will have to ovecome a wide barrier if he is to win the Flemington Event Staff Handicap at Flemington. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

Henwood is coming off a third to stablemate Charmed Symphony in the $80,000 Wilson Medic One Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield on July 4 and will need plenty of luck in the early stages to be in the firing line at the finish.

Sadler can see Henwood going forward from gate fourteen in the sixteen horse field and if Regan Bayliss can get a reasonable run in or near the lead will determine if he will figure in the finish.

“From there we will have to go forward. It just depends on how much he gets used up,” Sadler told RSN.

“It will all depend on what sort of run he gets for the first 200m.”

“If he gets it reasonably softly I think he will run a good strong race, if he doesn’t, they might carve him up. He might feel the effects of it towards the end.”

Henwood is yet to win beyond 1400m and Sadler would have given him a good chance over the 1600m if he had drawn a better barrier.

“If he had drawn an alley I would have said yes,” Sadler said of Henwood ability to run a out a strong 1600m.

“He really should run a mile. I haven’t tried him at it that often and when you think, I think he started favourite in the Winter Championship last year and he ran fourth and two or three really good horses finished in front of him, one was Ciaron Maher’s horse that won.’

“Some say that he doesn’t run the mile but going on that run, I though his run was quite good.”

Twelve months ago Henwood was sent out as the favourite for the Listed $150,000 VRC-CRV Winter Championship Series Final over 1600m when fourth to the Ciaron Maher trained Akavoroun with the well performed Tassie galloper The Cleaner finishing in second position.

Henwood was back in the winner’s stall two starts later over 1400m at Caulfield with Regan Bayliss on board and the up and coming apprentice is back in the saddle on Saturday again and will use his 2kg claim to reduce the six year old’s weight to 58kg.

Henwood is currently marked at $8.50 for the Flemington Event Staff Handicap with Ladbrokes.com.au behind Craig William’s mount Actuariat at $3.50 and Majestic Duke and Abbasso both at $5.50.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.