Mr O’Ceirin has drawn the outside barrier the 2014 Hollindale Stakes, but trainer Ciaron Maher does not believe that the wide draw will be an issue for the tough gelding in the Group 2 event at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Glen Boss will be reuniting with Mr O'Ceirin for the first time since they took out the Naturalism Stakes during the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Mr O’Ceirin has shown a degree of tactical versatility during his racing career to date, but Maher said that the tactical speed of the Postponed gelding means that he will be able to press forward from the outside gate and does not believe there would be any benefit to jockey Glen Boss positioning the six-year-old at the tail of the field.
“Basically, you just go with him; he goes about the same gallop every time he races,” Maher told TVN.
“If they go slow he’s leading, if they go quick he’s up outside the lead.
“Bossy knows him well and he’s ridden him both ways.
“He’s normally pretty good early in his prep.”
Mr O’Ceirin returned to the races, for the first time since his 11th place finish in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield on October 19 last year, with a fair performance in the Group 3 Victoria Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield on April 19 and he will be benefitted the step-up in distance in the Hollindale Stakes this weekend.
Boss will be riding Mr O’Ceirin for the first time since the pair stole victory in an extremely slow run Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on September 21 last year and he has a good record on the 2013 Grafton Cup winner.
The leading Melbourne hoop partnered Mr O’Ceirin for the first time when he finished fourth behind Dance With Her in the Listed Warrnambool Cup (2350m) in 2012 and steered him to victory in the Le Pine Funerals Plate (2100m) at Sandown.
Boss then piloted Mr O’Ceirin to a fifth place finish in the Listed Slickpix Stakes (1700m) at Caulfield on September 1 in 2012 and the former New Zealand-trained gelding narrowly missed out on a start in the 2012 Caulfield Cup when he finished second behind Folding Gear in the Naturalism Stakes.
There has been a sprinkling of support for Mr O’Ceirin in 2014 Hollindale Stakes betting markets and he remains steady at a quote of $17; with Junoob ($2.50) still a dominant favourite from triple Group 1 winner Streama ($4.80), stablemate Moriarty ($5.50) and Gerald Ryan-trained Angel Of Mercy ($6.50).
