Less Is More will return to the races, after a brief freshen-up, in the Listed Winter Challenge (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday and trainer David Vandyke believes that the imported stayer is in the best condition of his career.
Less Is More will contest the Winter Challenge at Rosehill on Saturday. Photo by: Daniel Costello
The Beat Hollow gelding performed well in the Brisbane Winter Carnival, winning the Channel Seven Handicap (1600m) before finishing second behind Precedence in the Group 3 Premier’s Cup (2200m) and eighth in the Group 2 Brisbane Cup (2400m).
Vandyke told Racing Ahead this morning that the rising six-year-old had improved significantly from his time interstate.
“He actually has blossomed from the time away,” Vandyke told RSN.
“Mentally he is just there for us, he is enjoying his work, he is happy to be in the stable and he is eating terrific.
“He should run well on Saturday.”
Less Is More was imported from France in 2012 and was expected to compete in staying events in Australia after winning over 2400 metres in Europe.
However, Vandyke believes that the gelding is better suited to middle distance events in Australia and has ruled out longer races like the Group 1 Metropolitan Handicap (2400m).
Less Is More will instead be targeted at some lower level middle distance events like the Listed Premier’s Cup (1800m) at Rosehill on August 31 and the Group 2 Hill Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick on September 21.
“I was bluffed by the fact that he won over 2400 in France, I think that his best distances are probably up to 2000,” Vandyke said.
“When we put him in the Tatts Cup (2400m) he didn’t find the line that strongly and even in the Cup up in Brisbane, over 2400 metres, he was there on there on the turn but he didn’t find the line as well as he looked like he was going to.”
Less Is More will need to be at his best to win the Winter Challenge on the weekend with fellow French import Bayrir, veteran stayer Ironstein and Winter Stakes (1400m) winner Under The Sun all set to contest the race.
