Co-trainer Tom Dabernig has revealed that the 2015 Memsie Stakes is on the agenda for Petrology if he runs well in the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Petrology will return to the races in the 2015 Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield this weekend. Photo by: Sarah Ebbett
Petrology has not been seen at the races since he finished 12th behind Wandjina in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 7, but he has been included in the nominations for the Bletchingly Stakes and will make his return to racing in the Group 3 event.
Dabernig said that he was surprised by the lack of quality that was included in the 2015 Bletchingly Stakes nominations that were released yesterday, but he told Racing Ahead that the race may be a bit short for Petrology and just wants to see the Fastnet Rock colt hit the line strongly as he progresses to the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 29.
“He could possibly head to the Memsie,” Dabernig said.
“I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the nominations for the Bletchingly.
“You have to have respect for the opposition, but it didn’t look overly strong to my eye.
“It might be a little on the short side for him, but he definitely looks a more furnished horse and he has the ability to win a good race.
“As long as he is hitting the line hard on Saturday we will be happy and we will be taking it from there.
“I think he is as good if not a bit better as he has ever been.”
Petrology stamped himself as a colt to follow when he took out both the UHD TV Stakes (1800m) at Flemington on Crown Oaks Day and the Group 2 Sandown Guineas (1600m) during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival and he started his autumn campaign with a second place finish behind Java in the Group 3 Thomas North Manfred Stakes (1300m) at Sandown on Australia Day.
The rising four-year-old made his Group 1 debut with a credible ninth in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) before he was sent to the spelling paddock after he failed to fire in the Australian Guineas.
Dabernig said that the Lindsay Park were yet to decide on the exact path that Petrology would follow during the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival, but he is hopeful that the Sandown Guineas winner will be able to stretch out to 2000 metres.
“I think hopefully this preparation we should be able to get him out to 2000,” Dabernig said.
“We will just take it one run at a time.”
Lindsay Park will be having their first runner in the Bletchingly Stakes since Pago Rock finished fifth behind Second Effort in the 2013 edition of the race.
