Talented speedster Lord Of The Skywill run in the 1000 metres Handicap at Caulfield on Saturday after recording an impressive barrier trial victory at Cranbourne this morning.
Lord Of The Sky was far too good for his rivals in a barrier trial at Cranbourne this morning. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Lord Of The Sky competed in the sixth barrier trial of the day over 800 metres and was far too strong for his rivals; jumping straight to the lead from the outside gate before kicking away from the rest of the field when asked for an extra effort to score a four lengths win from Hill Spy and Benchi Pegasus.
Laing told TVN that he was happy with the performance of the Danerich colt and confirmed that he will have his second race start of his preparation at Caulfield this weekend.
“He went two seconds faster than any other trial, running 46.6 on a bog track, so he’s gone really, really well,” Laing said.
“He’ll now go to a 1000-metre race at Caulfield on Saturday, as long as he pulls up okay.”
Lord Of The Sky stamped himself as a horse to watch with a dominant three lengths victory over Monkstone and Gallant Express in the Procal Dairies Handicap (1000m) at Caulfield on July 13 and was set for the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) during the 2014 Melbourne Festival Of Racing.
The three-year-old started his preparation with two strong wins in the National Patient Transport Handicap (1000m) at Caulfield on December 7 and the Guinot International Handicap (1000m) at the same venue on January 15, but was sent to the spelling paddock after he failed to beat home a single runner in the Listed W.J. Adams Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield on February 1.
Lord Of The Sky returned to racing in the Auckland Racing Club Handicap (1000m) at Flemington on April 25 and was extremely well-backed in the lead-up to the race, but was narrowly denied by Danger Close and was found to be suffering from respiratory issues after the race.
“He was vetted after the race and they found nothing wrong, but they then scoped him and found out he had a throat infection,” Laing said.
“He had four days on antibiotics and he’s been re-scoped.
“It’s all clear there now, so he went to the trials and that was the result.”
28 horses have been included in the nominations for the 1000 Metres Handicap at Caulfield this weekend including veteran sprinter Broken and Doveton Stakes winner Vatican.
