Trainer Joe Pride has confirmed that Laser Hawk will take his place in the 2014 Theo Marks Stakes field no matter how the Royal Randwick track is presented on Saturday.
Laser Hawk will run in the Theo Marks Stakes at Royal Randwick this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart
Laser Hawk returned to the races for the first time in eighteen months when he finished a credible eighth in the Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on August 9, but he has since been scratched from the Group 2 Warwick Stakes (1400m) on August 23 and Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) last Saturday.
Pride said that he hopes to see the Royal Randwick track improve before the running of the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes (1400m), but said that Laser Hawk needs to run this weekend if he is going to be ready for bigger races later in his 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign.
“I have pulled him out of two heavy tracks recently and we have to get on our bike soon and have a run,” Pride told Sky Racing HQ.
“I’d say that he would go around this week regardless, but hopefully the sunny weather gets us more onto a slow track or a heavy.”
Another horse that has not been seen at the races since the Missile Stakes is 2013 Crown Oaks winner Kirramosa, who is set to contest the Theo Marks Stakes this weekend.
Kirramosa returned to the races for the first time since her Crown Oaks victor with a strong performance behind Sweet Idea in the Missile Stakes and has since been scratched from the Quaddie Handicap (1500m) and Group 2 Tramway Stakes (1400m) because of heavy tracks.
The Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 18 is the major 2014 Spring Racing Carnival goal for Kirramosa and she needs to get more racing under her belt in order to be ready for the $3.5 million event.
Trainer Chris Waller attempted to scratch Bull Point from the Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m) at Royal Randwick on August 23 and had his request denied, but the Fastnet Rock entire was still able make up good ground late to finish third.
Team Hawkes have included both Ninth Legion and Zephyron in the Theo Marks Stakes field, but they may not contest the race if the Royal Randwick track remains in the heavy range.
The only horse that will be taking winning form into the Theo Marks Stakes is Brian Smith-trained Jetset Lad, who took out the Listed Tattersall’s Mile Handicap (1600m) and the Sono Restaurant Handicap (1350m) in his past two starts in Brisbane.
The 2014 Theo Marks Stakes field is rounded out by tough entire Tougher Than Ever and the promising Cluster.
