Sprint king Joe Pride has revealed popular gelding Terravista will be kept to a light preparation during the 2016 Spring Carnival, with a view towards major Group 1 targets in autumn next year.
Terravista is likely to make only one appearance during the 2016 Spring Carnival. Photo: Steve Hart
Terravista has arguably been the stable star for Pride through twenty-two career starts since debuting during the 2013 Autumn Carnival; peaking with an impressive win in the 2014 edition of the Group 1 Darley Classic (1200m) and amassing close to $2 million in prize money to date.
Having been plagued by hoof injuries through his entire racing career, Pride told AAP the focus remains on the rising seven-year-old returning to full health before he is set on another full racing preparation.
“Terravista is another month from coming back and he may only have one run in the spring just to keep him up to the mark,” Pride said.
“We are looking at the autumn with him but I want him to have a preparation in the stable.
“The main thing is to get his feet right. He has a history of quarter cracks which needs to be managed and if we can, I think he has another couple of seasons racing at the top level.”
Claiming a career total of ten wins and five minors through his impressive career, Terravista immediately impressed in his competitive debut but had undoubtedly kicked up a gear upon returning in the 2013 spring for three consecutive wins, before placing second behind White Sage in his first black type tilt; the Listed Festival Stakes (1500m) in November.
Returning in 2014 for consecutive wins in the Group 3 Southern Cross Stakes (1200m) and Group 3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m), the Captain Rio gelding clearly did not get the distance when eleventh in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) and was subsequently returned to the paddock.
Undoubtedly finding career-best form to date through the 2014 Spring Carnival, Terravista won each of the Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m) and Group 2 The Shorts (1100m) before a luckless run when fifth in a fanning finish in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m), leading into his Darley Classic triumph.
Terravista continued to impress through a competitive 2015 campaign without being able to return to winning form at the highest level; finishing in the minors in each of the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m), Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) and Darley Classic; claiming something of a consolation win in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m) most notably.
Having returned this year for an agonizingly-close second in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m) in February, Terravista has not been seen at the races since finishing fifth in the TJ Smith Stakes on Day 1 of The Championships.
