Trainer Chris Waller has revealed that two-time Group 1 winner Kermadec will not be seen at the races until the 2016 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Royal Randwick on March 5.
Kermadec will be given the chance to defend his Doncaster Mile crown during the 2016 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival. Photo by: Steve Hart
Kermadec has not been seen at the races since he beat home just a single runner in the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 24 after Waller elected to give him a long break after the disappointing conclusion to his spring campaign.
Waller told Sky Racing HQ that he will keep Kermadec to shorter distances during the 2016 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival and he said that he will contest the Canterbury Stakes and the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 19 before he defends his title in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Royal Randwick on April 2.
“He has returned very well,” Waller said.
“We are going to keep him to the shorter distances and probably end up in the Doncaster to defend his title.
“We will see him resume in the Canterbury Stakes, which is well into the Carnival.
“I just think that he struggles to get out beyond a mile and I think that he is a sprinter/miler.
“It will be the fifth of March, then the George Ryder and then the Doncaster.”
Kermadec stamped himself as a horse to follow when he took out the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) in just his third race start and he was one of the most consistent performers during the 2015 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
The Teofilo entire had no luck in running in both the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 7 and the George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill Gardens on March 21, but he flew home late to record a maiden win at Group 1 level in the Doncaster Mile.
Kermadec started his 2015 Spring Racing Carnival campaign with a credible fifth in the Group 2 Warwick Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on August 22 and he was second in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) before he returned to winning form in the George Main Stakes (1600m) on September 19.
He went to the top of Cox Plate betting markets following that victory, but he was slightly disappointing in the Group 1 Ladbrokes Caulfield Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on October 10 and he was never a threat in the Cox Plate.
Kermadec is currently available at 2016 Doncaster Mile odds of $13 with Ladbrokes and he is on the fourth line of betting behind Winx ($8), Press Statement ($9) and Azkadellia ($11).
